Graft raps up anew vs guv, 2 others

By Florence F. Hibionada

Criminal and administrative complaints were filed anew in the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas against Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas, Board Member Cecilia Capadosa and Budget Officer Elena Lim.

The complaint was lodged by Monsignor Meliton Oso of the People's Graftwatch of Iloilo - Ombudsman Corruption Prevention Unit with Graftwatch member retired Judge Virgilio Sindico as complainant.

The five-page complaint obtained by The News Today charged the trio of malversation of public funds and falsification under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

"In the interest of public service and speedy administration of justice, as a deterrence to corruption in our government, please cause the investigation soonest and the consequent filing of criminal and/or administrative complant against the respondents should the evidence warrant," Sindico wrote to the anti-graft body.

This latest Ombudsman complaint is the fourth thus far filed by the Graftwatch against key figures in the Iloilo Provincial Government. The charges in this particular case stemmed from Disbursement Voucher No. 100-64-07-10056 under Land Bank of the Philippines check no. 0002531535 dated July 9, 2004 with P100,000 value.

The disbursement, Graftwatch averred, showed "a systematic illegal allocation and charge through an Allotment and Obligation Slip (ALOBS) transferring the funds from an appropriated item of Community Direct Action Project (CDAP) to unappropriate fictitious facts of training and seminar in order to effect the issuance preparation and approval of Disbursement Voucher and forthwith followed by the release of check of PhP100,000 payable to respondent Cecilia Capadosa who in turn misappropriated the same."

"It is further prayed that the complaints filed against high-ranking government officials (Governor) involving grave offenses, priority of action be adopted herein," the complaint added.