Makati village chief nixes allegations of missing funds

Claiming that the attacks against him are politically motivated, a village chief of one of Makati City’s most progressive barangays denied allegations of missing funds amounting to more than P300 million.

In a press conference, Barangay San Lorenzo chairman Joshua John Santiago said he is ready to face charges in court if those behind the move to discredit him are willing to file a formal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Everything I’m seeing here is part of a dirty demolition job. I am hoping that the next time they make an accusation, they would substantiate it with evidence,” he told newsmen.

The allegations against Santiago were made by barangay secretariat Marlene Po during a barangay assembly on Saturday. She alleged that only P239 million of a P617 million budget since 2005 were spent on personal services or the salaries and benefits of barangay staff and officers and on the various subsidies of the barangay.

In defense, Santiago said Po showed only a one-page breakdown of the supposed expenses of Barangay San Lorenzo without bothering to present backup documents to back her claims.

According to him, based on reports from the Commission on Audit (COA), every single centavo of the barangay’s money is accounted for.

“Such large amount of money to go missing is too impossible. First, the COA would easily notice that. We have all the papers here and anybody can see it. I wonder where they got those figures,” Santiago told reporters.

He said the audited financial statements are now posted at the barangay hall for the barangay residents to see and review for themselves.