Quezon town treasurer dismissed from service

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed from the service a municipal treasurer in Quezon for incurring a cash shortage amounting to more than P500,000 in 2007.

In a six-page resolution, Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez ordered the dismissal of Bernardita de Jesus, treasurer of Unisan town in Quezon.

Investigation showed that De Jesus allegedly incurred a cash shortage totaling P521,984.45 from May 9 to Nov. 27, 2007.

Despite receipt of demand letters from the Commission on Audit, De Jesus failed to produce the cash shortage she had incurred.

A criminal case for malversation of public funds under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code was also ordered filed against her.

In two separate resolutions, the Ombudsman also ordered the filing of malversation charges against Patricio Rebugio Jr., former councilor of Laoac, Pangasinan, and Myrna Molar, barangay treasurer of Barangay Barretto, Olongapo City.

Rebugio allocated P15,000 from his countrywide development fund to buy goats to be given away in his district in May 2002. However, records showed that he did not buy any goat or use the allocated amount for the purpose.

Rebugio also reportedly made a cash advance of P10,000 in March 2005 supposedly for his registration fee and traveling expenses during the sixth Philippine Councilors’ League (PCL) meeting held in Pasay City in March 2005.

He received another P10,000 cash advance in May 2006 also purportedly for his expenses in a PCL assembly in Olongapo City. He, however, allegedly failed to attend both activities and return the cash advances.           

For his part, Molar faces malversation charges for misappropriating P25,000 granted by the Olongapo City government for a livelihood program in his barangay in November 2004.

The amount was to be loaned to possible beneficiaries with low interest. However, Molar allegedly never reported the collection of loan payments, including the corresponding interest.