Two former Manila barangay officials were sent up to 23 years in jail for claiming P10,000 gasoline expense for a discarded or unserviceable vehicle in 2004, the Office of the Ombudsman announced yesterday.
In a decision, Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Marlina Manuel said former village chief Lara Mae Reyes and Treasurer Stephanie Belle Maño of Barangay 748, Zone 81, District V, were guilty of malversation of public funds and violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
In addition, Reyes and Maño were ordered to return the malversed amount.
Ombudsman prosecutors proved during the trial that the accused displayed evident bad faith by fraudulently claiming reimbursements of P2,500 per quarter purportedly used for a junk jeep-type patrol vehicle.
The court observed that “the receipts submitted by the accused in support of their claim for reimbursement, indeed, do not show the vehicle in which the gasoline was loaded.” (Jun Ramirez)