The Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of two treasurers and one councilor over cash-related offenses. An article posted on the Ombudsman website said, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez ordered the dismissal from the service of:
Bernardita de Jesus, municipal treasurer of Unisan town in Quezon province; Patricio Rebugio Jr, former municipal councilor of Laoac, Pangasinan, and Myrna Molar, barangay treasurer of Barangay Barretto, Olongapo City. De Jesus was ordered dismissed after she failed to produce the cash shortage of P521,984.45 she incurred from May 9 to November 27, 2007. "Despite receipt of the demand letters issued by the Commission on Audit (COA), de Jesus failed to produce the cash shortage she incurred," the Ombudsman said. Gutierrez ordered the filing of a criminal charge for Malversation of Public Funds against De Jesus. Gutierrez also ordered the filing of charges against Rebugio, who was accused of allocating P15,000 from his countrywide development fund for buying goats to be dispersed to his district in May 2002. However, records showed that he did not buy any goat or use the allocated amount for the purpose. He also reportedly made a cash advance of P10,000 in March 2005 for the payment of his registration fee and traveling expenses during the 6th Philippine Councilor’s League (PCL) held in Pasay City on March 8 to 10, 2005. He also received another cash advance of P10,000 in May 2006, supposedly for attending the PCL from May 14 to 26 in Olongapo City. The Ombudsman said Rebugio "failed to attend both activities and to return the said cash advances." As for Molar, she was ordered charged with Malversation of Public Funds for misappropriating P25,000 granted by the Olongapo City government for the livelihood program of Barangay Barretto in November 2004. The amount was to be loaned to possible beneficiaries at a low interest. However, she had never reported on the collection of the amount loaned to borrowers, including its corresponding interest, the Ombudsman said. Molar failed to submit her counter-affidavit when directed to submit one, it added. “In malversation, the failure of an accountable officer to account for such public funds or property within the period prescribed by law shall be prima facie evidence that she appropriated the same for her personal use," the Ombudsman said. "The same is true even in the absence of direct proof of misappropriation so long as there is evidence of shortage in her account which she was unable to satisfactorily explain," the Ombudsman added. – VVP, GMANews.TV 
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