MANILA, Philippines - A town mayor in Surigao del Norte is now facing graft charges for allegedly failing to liquidate P4.6 million in cash advances from January 2004 to September 2011.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales found sufficient grounds to indict Tagana-an Mayor Cesar Diaz for failure to render accounts based on the complaint of Commission on Audit State Auditor III Oscar Lerio.
In a resolution, the COA sent a letter to Diaz, demanding that the local chief executive to account for his cash advances totalling P5.2 million. The COA said only P110,987 of amount was liquidated.
The resolution added that in April and September 2011, Diaz again got cash advances from the Intelligence Fund amounting to P202,500 which were not liquidated within the prescribed period, prompting COA to send another demand letter on June 9, 2012.
"(Diaz's) mere allegation that he has liquidated the other cash advances without anything to support it, cannot be accepted," the resolution said.
Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code penalizes accountable officer's failure to render an account within two months.