Cagayan town mayor, 3 others face graft raps

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- The Office of the Ombudsman indicted a Cagayan town mayor and three others for anomalous disbursements of government funds amounting to over P18 million from 2000 to 2009.

Aside from Amulung mayor Nicanor de Leon, ex-mayor Pacita de Leon, municipal treasurer Luzviminda Macasio and municipal accountant Maria Remudaro are now facing malversation and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan.

Records showed that in December 2008, the Commission on Audit (COA) issued the Annual Audit Report noting that the municipality’s accounts in the financial statements are unreliable and inaccurate due to the failure to maintain ledgers and several funds remain unaccounted for.  

In 2010, the COA conducted a special fraud audit and issued several Notices of Disallowance in connection with the unlawful disbursement of funds totaling P18 million.

The results of the audit revealed that Pacita and Nicanor, during their respective terms as mayor, countersigned a total of 38 checks without disbursement vouchers and other supporting documents. 

From 2000 to 2007, Nicasio approved and facilitated the release of 29 checks totaling P16,340,959.04, while Pacita signed nine checks totaling P2,377,202.61 from 2007 to 2009. 

On the other hand, Remudaro made it appear that the checks were disbursed for valid purposes.