Former Bacolod City Mayor indicted

Posted by watchmen
June 28, 2017
Posted in TOP STORIES

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Former Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella was indicted by the Office of the Ombudsman for malversation and graft for allegedly receiving funds in a personal account for the 2005 Southeast Asian (SEA) games while serving as Bacolod lone district representative.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales found Puentevella in violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly failing to account for P21,565,832.50 spent for the 2005 Southeast Asian Games, which was partly hosted by Bacolod City.
She explained the Department of Budget and Management issued a P50 million Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) for the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in 2005 for the 23rd SEA Games.
The PSC, meanwhile, transferred the funds to the Bacolod SEA Organizing Committee (BASOC) through checks payable to the BASOC and Puentevella.
Based on the investigation by the Ombudsman, as of 2011, the P21,565,832.50 remain unsettled and was deposited into Puentevella’s personal account.
Morales noted, “By depositing the funds in a personal account, he had absolute custody and control of and responsibility for the funds.”
She added, the former congressman’s failure to liquidate or account for the amount of P21,565,832.50, which was under his custody and control, despite demands and the lapse of several years from the time the liquidation was due, would necessarily lead to the conclusion that he had used the funds for his personal benefit.
She further stated the COA and PSC demanded Puentevella to liquidate the money in 2009, but he failed to comply./WDJ

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