Incumbent, ex-Cagayan town mayors indicted for fund misuse

MANILA, Philippines -  Criminal charges were filed yesterday against an incumbent municipal mayor and his predecessor in Cagayan in connection with the misuse of P18.7 million in public funds.

Amulung Mayor Nicanor de Leon and former mayor Pacita de Leon were charged with graft and malversation for allegedly authorizing the disbursement of the funds from 2000 to 2009.

Aside from them, charged were municipal treasurer Luzviminda Macasio and accountant Maria Remudaro.

The Office of the Ombudsman said that in December 2008, the Commission on Audit (COA) found the municipality’s financial statements inaccurate.

State auditors said the municipal government did not keep ledgers and that funds remain unaccounted for.  

In 2010, the COA issued notices of disallowance following the conduct of a special fraud audit leading to the discovery of the unlawful disbursement.

Nation ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Audit resuts showed that Pacita and Nicanor, during their respective terms, signed 38 checks without disbursement vouchers and other supporting documents. 

Nicanor allegedly approved and facilitated the release of 29 checks amounting to more than P16 million while Pacita signed nine checks amounting to more than P2 million. 

The ombudsman said Remudaro made it appear that the checks were disbursed for valid purposes.

Source: philstar.com - Nation