Ex-Basilan vice mayor to be indicted for graft

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of graft charges against a former vice mayor of Lamitan, Basilan.

Graft investigators found probable cause to indict Arleigh Eisma over the illegal disbursement of government funds to pay his gasoline station for the fuel expenses of his private vehicles.

Records show Eisma approved the trip tickets, purchase requests, purchase orders, inspection and acceptance reports as well as checks and disbursement vouchers amounting to P1,120,186.90 from August to October 2012.   

In his counter-affidavit, Eisma did not dispute ownership of the gas station, but claimed there were only three gas stations in Lamitan, two of which were owned by a member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. 

“The city council will have no supply of fuel if relationship is made a prohibition,” he told graft probers.

The ombudsman, however, said the transactions were made even though the respondent knew it would be ”beneficial and favorable to him” as owner of the gasoline station.

The receipts issued by the gas station indicated Eisma’s name as the registered proprietor, the ombudsman noted.

”The Local Government Code prohibits local government officials from engaging in any business transaction with the local government unit in which he is an official, or over which he has supervision, and money is to be paid out of the resources of the government,” the anti-graft court ruling stated.