Ex-Leyte mayor charged over unliquidated public funds

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed charges against a former Leyte mayor for allegedly failing to liquidate public funds worth more than half a million pesos.

Charged with one count each of violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Malversation of Public Funds was former Jaro, Leyte mayor Floro Katangkatang.

In the charge sheets filed before the Sandiganbayan, the Ombudsman said Katangkatang, in 2007, was in possession of a total of P552,960.50 public funds which he "willfully, unlawfully and criminally" failed or refused to liquidate and "feloniously" misappropriated or took "for his own personal use and benefit."

The Ombudsman alleged that the former, in committing the act, took advantage of his position, "with evident bad faith, manifest partiality and/or gross inexcusable negligence."

Moreover, the Ombudsman said Katangkatang did not liquidate such funds, which were received as cash advances from the municipality, even if a demand was made for him to do so.

Section 3(e) of RA 3019 prohibits public officials from “causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.”

Meanwhile, malversation is committed by a public official "by appropriating public funds or property; by taking or misappropriating the same; by consenting, or through abandonment or negligence, by permitting any other person to take such public funds or property; or by being otherwise guilt of the misappropriation or malversation of such funds or property."

The Ombudsman has recommended a total of P70,000 bail for Katangkatang's charges—P30,000 for violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019, and P40,000 for malversation of public funds. —KG, GMA News