Bogus Drug Test Results: 186 W. Samar b’gay, SK execs face fraud charges
The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed criminal and administrative charges against the 186 elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials in
The drug tests were required of candidates in the barangay and SK elections last Oct. 29.
Danielito Lalusis, head agent of the NBI’s
Last Wednesday, the NBI filed administrative charges against them before the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Out of 186 respondents, 16 are barangay chairmen, 20 are SK officials, and the rest, barangay council members.
Lalusis said the cases stemmed from the revelation of Ester Herrera, a defeated candidate for chairman of Barangay Mabuligon, that the respondents allegedly submitted fake drug test results to the local Comelec office.
“In barangay elections, it is mandatory for candidates to submit certificates of candidacy and they should attach the results of their drug tests. But it turned out that they merely photocopied the drug test result of one candidate, changed the name of the candidate, and had it photocopied. We were able to recover copies of the altered documents,” Lalusis said.
Lalusis said they would also look into the possible liability of the Comelec official who accepted the respondents’ certificates of candidacy even if these included fake documents.
The NBI, according to Lalusis, would also check if the
Lalusis said there were reports that the modus operandi was also used in three to four other municipalities. – With Miriam Garcia Desacada
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