Ex-Davao mayor faces more graft raps

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of additional graft cases against a former mayor of Davao Oriental.

Former Lupon town mayor Arfran Quiñones will be indicted for 44 counts of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents for allegedly using public funds to pay the salaries of ghost employees from 2005 to 2007.

Graft probers said a report of the Commission on Audit showed Quiñones hired Arlene Murillo and Leo Lantaco as job order employees, but  there were no daily time records to prove that they reported for work.

Signing the payrolls and certifying that services have been rendered when no such services were extended make Quiñones liable along with Murillo and Lantaco, the ombudsman said.

On Wednesday, the ombudsman ordered the filing of multiple graft and malversation of public property charges against Quiñones for failing to account for government properties during his term.