Town Mayor, Officials Charged Before Ombud

Daanbantayan town Mayor Augusto Corro and four other municipal officials were criminally and administratively charged before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for alleged unfair distribution of relief goods in their town during the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda.

Aside from Mayor Corro, Vice Mayor Gilbert Arrabis, Municipal Councilors Chona de Leon, Juanito Ybañez and Manny Benatiro were also named respondents in the complaint for grave abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming of a government official, dishonesty and discrimination by reason of party affiliation or preference.

The complainants claimed that the respondents violated the provisions of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. Two sets of complaints were separately filed before the anti-graft body last March 24 and March 27.

The first complaint was filed against the five Daanbantayan town officials by 10 residents of Sitio Backyard in Barangay Poblacion, Daanbantayan who claimed that they did not receive sufficient relief goods such as food, tarpaulins and other assistance from the municipal government because they are not Corro’s political supporters.

The complainants are Linda Coyoca, Cherry Burlas, Leake Ronald Eduard Jr., Hedeliza Rondina, Leonora Calipay, Marilyn Rondina, Florencia Rodrigo, Jocelyn Rondina, Geraldine Calipay and Mercedita Almocera.

They said the Daanbantayan town officials have received several relief goods from different donors for the typhoon victims, but many of the victims in Daanbantayan were not given their share because of political reason.

Cherry Burlas said she heard from the social workers that the aid, especially the galvanized iron sheets, were not enough to be distributed to all typhoon victims, she also heard reports that those victims who are allied with the present administration were given numerous GI sheets. “I heard that some of them sold their excess GI sheets,” she
added.

The second complaint was filed by the barangay captains of the 10 of the 20 barangays of Daanbantayan. The concerned barangay captains claimed that because they are political supporters of former Daanbantayan Mayor Marilou Loot, they were not given their shares.

The complainants in the second case are Letecia Perpetua (Barangay Pajo); Francisco Rosalejos (Barangay Malingin); Pablo Arcenal Jr. (Tinubdan); Herminia de Castro (Calape); Isidro Rodrigo (Tominjao); Ali Abucay (Maya); Zenaida Arriesgado (Agujo); Rex Novabos (Logon); Ramon Camino (Carnaza); and Remedios Layos of Barangay Lanao.

Daanbantayan is a first class municipality in the province of Cebu, occupying the northern tip of Cebu island.

Mayor Corro welcomed the filing of the complaint and he will answer all the allegations before the proper body, saying that these are “all lies and politically motivated.”

“Magkatawa ra g’yud ko ana nga complaint kay dili g’yud na tinuod. Patas ang akong pagpanghatag sa mga hinabang sa mga biktima sa bagyo,” the mayor said.

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