Mayors file estafa raps vs league exec
Iloilo -- A criminal complaint for Estafa was filed against an official of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines (LMP)-Iloilo chapter over P400,000 in questionable bank withdrawals of the league's funds. More money is feared to have been lost and collections believed to be undeposited, the league now making an inventory of its finances.
With the complaint docketed as Information Sheet (I.S.) No. 466, City Prosecutor Efraim Baldago officially got hold of the evidences as presented by the complainants, Mayor Raul Tupas of Barotac Viejo and Mayor Mariano Malones of Maasin. Subject of Estafa complaint is Romeo Jessmon Labramonte, LMP-Iloilo Executive Director. The complaint will be raffled off Monday and set for a two-week preliminary investigation.
In an interview, Mayor Malones confirmed to The News Today (TNT) the charges as lodged against Labramonte. The discovery came after a check was made on the league's financial statement that showed huge bank withdrawals.
Malones said for months now Labramonte was entrusted with the league's reimbursements on expenses incurred on purchases of office supplies. The voucher bore Labramonte's breakdown with checks then issued and signed by the two mayor-complainants. However when encashed, Labramonte tampered total of six checks and added tens in thousands more.
For instance, a P1,000 check became P81,000 with P80,000 illegally added. Altogether, Mayor Malones said about P440,000 were lost to Labramonte's illegal withdrawals broken down as follow: one P90,000 check, two P80,000 checks, two P60,000 checks and two P50,000 checks.
"He admitted what he did and gave us a land title as sort of collateral and payment for what he did but it was a family property and we can not also use it. So we kept the land title and decided to go ahead file Estafa against him. Last that we know of, he has left Iloilo and maybe is in Roxas City where his wife's family is from," Mayor Malones said.
And it could be a delaying tactic, said Maasin Mayor of the supposed "negotiations" coming from Labramonte's side with him now nowhere to be reached by the league.
The respondent was hired May last year upon the recommendation of one the complainant, Mayor Tupas. Yet as Mayor Malones added, for months Labramonte appeared to be trustworthy with excellent interpersonal skills.