Samar mayor suspended over unliquidated funds

MANILA, Philippines — Mayor Leonilo Costelo of Talalora town in Samar has been ordered suspended for three months.

In a decision recently signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Costelo was found guilty of simple neglect of duty over his unliquidated cash advances amounting to P388,159 in 2014.

Costelo was also charged with two counts of violation of Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code

Based on the complaints, Costelo received P18,159 for his travel expenses on May 16, 2014 to attend a forum in Pasay City and P370,000 for relief operations for victims of Typhoon Ruby on Dec. 3, 2014.

The ombudsman gave no credence to Costelo’s claim that the delay in the liquidation of the cash advances was due to the need to “reconstruct documents,” which were either missing or destroyed during the typhoon.

The court said Costelo received a notice to liquidate his travel expenses before the typhoon struck.

On the P370,000 cash advance, the ombudsman said it was “highly improbable” that it took Costelo two years to reconstruct the supposed destroyed documents.

More raps filed vs Syjuco

Meanwhile, former Iloilo congressman Augusto Syjuco Jr. is facing more charges in connection with the pork barrel scam.

Syjuco was charged with violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits public officials from giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to a private party or from causing any party, including the government, undue injury.

Former Pavia, Iloilo mayor Arcadio Gorriceta, former municipal accountant Eufemia Jamerlan, former municipal treasurer Edwin Elumba as well as Corazon Taladua and Timoteo Salvilla, finance officer and executive director, respectively, of non-government organization (NGO) Tagipusuon Foundation Inc., were included in the charge sheets.

Based on the complaint, Syjuco allocated P999,900 to Tagipusuon, which he allegedly owned, from his  Countrywide Development Fund.

The ombudsman said Tagipusuon was “predetermined” as the partner NGO in the implementation of the program without public bidding. 

The ombudsman recommended bail of P30,000.

Syjuco was earlier indicted over the release of P4.3 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel to Tagipusuon for the supposed implementation of social, economic and health services projects in his district.