Ex-Bacolod mayor charged with graft

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Former Bacolod mayor Luzviminda Valdez has been charged before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly defrauding the city government by falsifying receipts of her expenses in 2004.

Valdez, who was mayor from 2001 to 2004, was indicted with four counts of graft and malversation of public funds.

She was accused of tampering pharmacy receipts to show that an item that cost only P9.20 was worth P30,920, and another item that cost P65 was priced at P50,065, based on records of the city’s Mobile Health Clinic program accessed by state auditors.

Also a receipt for P95.25 under the Barangay Health Program was allegedly falsified to show the amount of P68,095.25.

There were also padded amounts of receipts for meals. The original cash slip of P510 at a restaurant was allegedly tampered to come up with a receipt amounting to P19,350.

Another liquidation report on meals and accommodations showed total expenses of P135,000 when the amount paid was only P3,253.

Valdez’s legal counsel Adoniram Pamplona said they would file a motion to ask the Sandiganbayan to remand the case to the Office of the Ombudsman.