Banago officials rapped for 'ghost project'
BACOLOD CITY -- Six barangay councilors (kagawad) of Barangay Banago, Bacolod City recently filed a criminal complaint for falsification and malversation of public funds against Punong Barangay Rowel Cordova and barangay treasurer Melinda Calderon before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.
The duo allegedly disbursed P54,000 for various construction materials last October 2008 without the necessary barangay resolution or ordinance backing the procurement.
The complainants, namely, kagawads Arnel Benjamin, Naven Gatia, Eleazar Dequilla, Felix Abordo, Reynante Bautista and Ricky Mijares alleged that last October 2008, they discovered that said Barangay Chairman and Treasurer caused the release of the amount of P54,000 for the following construction materials: 20 cubic meter sand and gravel, 50 cubic meter crackstone, 50 bags of cement, 30 pieces deformed bar and 5 kilos GL wire No. 16.
Their complaint affidavit also mentioned that said materials were not actually delivered to Purok Langis because no physical project of such nature as "footwalk" worth P54,000 was constructed or introduced for the month of October 2008 and they believed that this is a "ghost project".
Worse, as mentioned in the affidavit, there was no barangay resolution or ordinance passed to support the release of said funds and no bidding was conducted. Records reveal that their treasurer requested for the said construction materials and she was also the one who received it.
Atty. Joemax Ortiz, counsel of complainants, filed the criminal complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman copy furnished the Department of Interior and Local Government and Commission on Audit (COA) Bacolod City.