Ex-Bacolod mayor faces graft charges

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has filed at the Sandiganbayan multiple counts of graft against former Bacolod City Mayor Luzviminda Valdez for allegedly falsifying receipts in her liquidation reports in 2004.

Valdez, who was Bacolod mayor from 2001 to 2004, was charged with four counts each on graft and malversation of public funds, for allegedly defrauding transactions in her liquidation reports, which were supposedly incurred by the city government.

Lawyer Adoniram Pamplona, counsel of Valdez, however told The Freeman they already filed at the Sandiganbayan a motion to remand the case to the Ombudsman in a move to stop the graft charges against her. Pamplona hoped to get a favorable decision from the Sandiganbayan.

The Ombudsman had recommended that Valdez be held without bail on three of the four malversation charges, based on Article 217 (4) of the Revised Penal Code, which set the maximum penalty of reclusion perpetua for malversation of public funds when the amount involved is higher than P22,000.

Valdez allegedly tampered pharmacy receipts for purchases worth only P9.20 by making this appear as P30,920 in her report. These allegations, among others, were the bases of the Ombudsman's filing of the cases against the former mayor. —(FREEMAN)