ROXAS City – Former Mayor Vicente Bermejo and two barangay captains here are facing malversation charges for allegedly taking “hot lumbers” for their personal use.
The Committee on Good Government of the City Council recommended to Mayor Alan Angel Celino the filing of criminal and administrative charges against Bermejo and Barangay Captains Wilson Acervo of Brgy. Mongpong and Manuel Aninang of Brgy. Olotayan.
According to the three-page committee report, “the concerted acts of the misappropriation, embezzlement, and taking of lumbers from the City General Services Office (CGSO) which they (the respondents) converted to personal use constitute administrative offense and the crime of malversation, penalized under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.”
The committee is chaired by Councilor Julius Abela. ORIGIN On February 15, 2005, officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the city government seized from a certain Paul Jude Belo more or less 80 pieces of “hot” mahogany and narra lumber in Brgy. Cudian, Ivisan, Capiz.
The lumbers, worth P76,862 and measure about 2,745 board feet, were brought to the CGSO under Glenn Amane.
Amane told the Committee that the lumbers were delivered to Bermejo’s residence on May 27, 2008.
Committee reports said Acervio requested from Bermejo to use 206.52 board feet of the mahogany lumbers for the repair and rehabilitation of infrastructures in Brgy. Mongpong.
But according to Barangay Kagawad Ricky Donato, the lumbers were not used for such purpose. Aninang also requested to use 1,052.20 board feet of the mahogany lumbers to repair a day care center in their barangay. Two criminal complaints were filed against Belo before the Regional Trial Court Branch 15.
But on January 7, 2008, the court dismissed the case for the prosecution’s failure to present the lumbers as evidences.
MORE CHARGES FOR BERMEJO
The city council recently recommended to Celino the filing of corruption charges against Bermejo and former City Councilor Rolando Ignacio over the alleged irregularities on the payment of a property in Brgy. Tanza here.
The two officials were allegedly involved in the purchase of a 5,000-square meter lot owned by Ernesto Dynangko Jr. and Ignacio.
The City Council passed a resolution authorizing Bermejo to sign the conditional sale of Dyangko and Ignacio’s property.
To pay for the property, Bermejo issued a memorandum authorizing Assistant City Accountant Alma Alba to sign the check in the absence of City Accountant Teresita Bediones.
Alba, the committee said, complied.
Bermejo is also charged for the “unlawful detention and use” of three vehicles registered under the name of the city government.
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