By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Office of the Ombudsman, in a joint resolution, ordered the filing of graft charges against former Bacolod City Mayor Monico Puentevella after finding probable cause in relation to the P50.5 million Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (BASOC) fund used in hosting the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2005.
At the time, Puentevella was serving as Bacolod lone district representative.
The order also dismissed the criminal complaints against respondents Edwin Javellana and Eric Loretizo after finding no connection between their roles within BASOC and the handling of SEA Games funding.
In August 2005, the P50.5 million was transferred to the BASOC from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), which, according to the Field Investigation Office (FIO), upon completion of the SEA Games in December of that year, the respondents were required to liquidate the fund.
Subsequent letters were sent in 2008 from then-PSC Chairman William Ramirez to Puentevella requesting he submit a complete and proper liquidation of the fund.
By 2011, Commission on Audit (COA) auditor Susana Medez reduced the unsettled balance to just over P41 million, following a settlement. However, it is reported, Puentevella so far settled around P19.5 million, leaving over P21 million still unaccounted for.
The resolution pointed out, when the SEA Games fund was transferred to Puentevella, he held it in trust by depositing the funds into his personal account, which gave him absolute custody and control of and responsibility for the funds.
However, former executive assistant Sarah Esguerra said in a text message, “The liquidation is still pending and being reviewed by the COA.”
“In most cases, it is premature for the Ombudsman to decide on this case simply because COA has yet to give its final resolution,” she added.
She added, Puentevella intends to file a motion for reconsideration once he receives a copy of the Ombudsman’s order./WDJ