A FORMER town mayor in Bohol province was arrested on graft charges.
Vito Rapal, 55, did not resist when operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) arrested him at home in barangay Dampas, Tagbilaran City last Thursday.
Police said the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against Rapal for three counts of graft. Rapal is also facing charges for malversation of public funds, estafa and failure to render accounts.
In an interview, Rapal blamed politics for his case.
“Way laing rason nga politika labi na kay modagan ko karong election (There’s no other reason but politics since I am running in the coming election),” said Rapal, a member of the Liberal Party.
The charges were filed against Rapal when he was still vice mayor of Corella town.
He was vice mayor from 2000 to 2010.
He was elected mayor of Corella and served from 2010 to 2013.
Chief Insp. Teodoro Tadeo Santos said Rapal is detained at the CIDG-Bohol office while he is still working on his bail.