Ex-CamSur mayor faces criminal raps for 'falsifying' official documents

Former Caramoan, Camarines Sur mayor Constantino Cordial Jr. is facing criminal complaints before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly falsifying municipal resolutions in 2014.

Based on the charge sheet filed by the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon, Constantino is facing two counts of falsification of official document defined and penalized under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code.

The charges against Constantino are based on two resolutions dated March 24, 2014, where he made it appear that then-councilors Eduardo Bonita, Lydia Obias, and Francis Benemerito "participated" and "attended" the deliberations of the official documents.

The former local chief executive also claimed that the resolutions were unanimously approved by all members of the municipal council.

However, the Ombudsman said Constantino "well knew that Councilors Bonita, Obias, and Benemetiro did not so participate nor attend during its deliberation and neither was (the resolution) unanimously approved by all the members of the council."

The resolutions were both about the local government's request from former President Benigno Aquino III and then-Interior and Local Government secretary Mar Roxas the immediate removal of Task Force Sagip Kalikasan.

Former Vice Mayor Irene Breis and then-municipal secretary Danilo Belleza were also named as respondents in the charge sheet.

Graft investigators recommended a total bail bond of P48,000 on the case of Constantino and his co-accused.

Constantino, whose wife Marlyn sits as incumbent Caramoan mayor, was one of the politicians implicated in the illegal drug trade and operations of a mega shabu laboratory found in Virac, Catanduanes in July.

Authorities accused Cordial of allowing the use of his speedboat to facilitate the transport of shabu chemicals to the province.

Cordial has denied the allegations. —ALG, GMA News