The Office of the Ombudsman has placed two officials from Barangay Quirino 3B (Claro) in Quezon City under preventive suspension following allegations of unresolved audit findings and the funding of non-existent projects totaling ₱22.28 million. In a decision released on Friday, the anti-graft agency ordered the suspension of Barangay Captain Ronald Noga Tagle and Barangay Treasurer Richelle Ann Formanes Santillan for up to six months. The suspension will remain in effect pending the resolution of administrative charges, which include grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty. The Ombudsman’s order was based on findings from the Commission on Audit (COA) covering the period from 2017 to 2023. According to the anti-graft body, investigators found that Tagle, in conspiracy with Santillan, withdrew barangay savings between 2018 and 2023 for “non-existent or ghost projects.” The COA’s Quezon City field office had previously issued multiple Audit Observations Memoranda and Notices of Disallowance to the barangay, citing a lack of supporting documentation for fund utilization. Specifically, the Ombudsman noted that ₱22.71 million in disbursements were released without the required disbursement vouchers. While the barangay filed an appeal that reduced the total disallowance to ₱22.28 million, the amount remains unsettled despite repeated directives from state auditors. The Ombudsman’s report detailed deficiencies in procurement transactions, noting that ₱1.42 million in transactions from 2017 to 2018 lacked necessary documentation. Similar issues were cited regarding disbursements of ₱15.93 million in 2020, ₱23.99 million in 2021, ₱17.64 million in 2022, and ₱17.88 million in 2023. “Respondents’ administrative violation appears to be supported by evidence. The evidence on record [shows] that the guilt of respondents is strong,” the Ombudsman stated in its order. A copy of the suspension order has been furnished to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, who has been instructed to implement the directive immediately.
Article source: The Daily Tribune | Image credit: The Daily Tribune