Ombudsman probe urged vs mayoralty bet’s bank deposits

DAUIS, BOHOL, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas has been asked to conduct an investigation on mayoralty candidate, Barangay Chairperson Marietta Tocmo Sumaylo and her husband Josever of Barangay Tabalong of this town about her bank deposits totaling P23 million.

A certain Arnel Penales, a resident of Brgy. Poblacion here, wrote to Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol: “We want to know where these money (of the Sumaylos) come from...”

Penales, in his letter to Apostol, enumerated Sumaylo’s MetroBank deposits he wanted investigated, bank accounts in her name and her husband: Account No. 1-712-00522-8 with P9,280,848.85; No. 1-123-03862-0 (P7,897,124.27); No. 3-139-37452 (P451,366.45); No. 3-564-50784-7 (P89,268.79); and No. 3-099-06095-7 (P122,573.75); 

Accounts in her name: No. 3-525-51276 (P239,524.07); and No.3-138-30111-8 (P80,197.86). Accounts in her husband’s name: No. 3-287-02886-6 (P302,407.85); and No.3-375-16776-0 (P126,586.04); Two other accounts: No. 3-390-17557-5 (P319,304.67) and with P4,291,945.42).

Sought for her answer to the allegations, Sumaylo said in a text message: “Lastly, everything is in my legal panel. Thanks a lot. I don’t want to pre-empt my lawyer.”

Penales’s letter was made as annex “D” of the supplemental affidavit executed by complainant Ephraim R. Bomediano, who filed earlier a complaint accusing Sumaylo of not including in her statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) some of her properties that the law requires.

Bomediano alleged that the non-disclosure of Sumaylo’s properties in her SALN “is willful and deliberate to make it appear that the spouses have lesser number of properties to avoid any discrepancy and/or inconsistency in relation to her income tax returns before the BIR.”  (FREEMAN)