Ombud denies mayor’s appeal to quash graft plaint

THE Ombudsman-Visayas denied the motion for reconsideration filed by former Sibonga mayor Lionel E. Bacaltos on the graft complaint filed against him after he received an honorarium intended for municipal health personnel.

In a June 9 resolution, Ombudsman investigator Rheia Tibon said the former mayor failed to produce any evidence to disprove the complaint filed by a staffer named Mary Joejie Chan in October 2015.

In her complaint, Chan said Bacaltos allegedly included his name on the list of recipients of fees or honoraria from PhilHealth funds. Bacaltos’ lawyer filed a motion for reconsideration last December 29.

Bacaltos said in his motion that he believed he was entitled to receive the PhilHealth honorarium. He said there was no notice of disallowance issued against it by the Commission on Audit (COA).

But Tibon said Bacaltos’ claim of good faith when he included his name in the list of recipients was insufficient to counter the “existing probable cause” of the graft complaint against him.

Tibon cited a letter from PhilHealth dated May 28, 2012 which stated that 20 percent of the fund from their office is intended exclusively as honoraria for the staff working in the municipal health office.

About P280,197 was allocated as honoraria for Sibonga’s health workers. Bacaltos reportedly received P17,512.50.
Tibon said the absence of a specific provision prohibiting Bacaltos from receiving the honorarium does not entitle him to be among its recipients.

She said Bacaltos cannot claim to be included as “non-health professional/staff” since the PhilHealth referred to these workers as those who provide health services.