Graft complaint filed against Naga mayor

THREE residents of the City of Naga filed a graft complaint against Mayor Valdemar Chiong  for allegedly releasing about P1.1 million in government funds to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) during the 2013 polls.

Adonel Dela Fuente, Ron Del Mar and Narcisco Tablate, who are former barangay captains, yesterday requested the Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas to investigate the  mayor for violation of  the Code of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees, technical malversation, abuse of authority, and gross misconduct, among others.

The complaint was based on the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) which said  the disbursement of the P1,082,131.62 to Comelec was “without legal basis.”

“What Mayor Chiong did in giving the amount was not only very inappropriate and improper but also compromised the independence of Comelec,” the complainants said.

They asked the anti-graft office to hold Chiong liable and to order the mayor to return the money to the government.

Mayor Chiong said  the complaint against him was  politically motivated and was done to get media mileage.

Dela Fuente and Tablate were incumbent barangay captains when they ran in 2013 while Del Mar was a neophyte.

All three, supporters of Gov. Hilario Davide III’s candidacy then, lost to candidates supporting Pablo John Garcia of One Cebu.

Chiong said he will just wait for the notice from the Ombudsman, informing him of the complaint.

He said the Naga city government  already gave its reply to the COA finding and that he was ready to answer the charges.

Chiong said  the complainants were  only using “flowery words” in their joint affidavit.

He said they also benefited from the disbursed funds during that time.