ILOILO – The Office of the Ombudsman junked the graft complaint (malversation of public property) filed against Mayor Christian Sorongon of New Lucena town by his predecessor, the now Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Liecel Mondejar-Seville.
In a nine-page decision dated Nov. 23, 2018, Ombudsman Samuel Martires stated, “(T)he Office finds no probable cause to indict respondent Sorongon for malversation of public property under Act 217 of Revised Penal Code. Wherefore, the complaint is hereby dismissed.”
The complaint against Sorongon stemmed from an August 2016 incident at the municipal hall of New Lucena during a visit by Seville to process her clearances.
Seville claimed seeing Sorongon’s personal bodyguards Mario Tambacan and Roland Bordon carrying government-owned pistols. She alleged that an unauthorized mission order was issued to the two men.
Bordon was a retired member of the Philippine Army.
“The Office observes that there is no evidence that the firearm seen in the viral video was actually identified and verified to be the same pistol as indicated in the Mission Order issued to Tambacan during the course of the Philippine National Police’s investigation. Even complainant and her husband had not categorically stated that they actually saw a gun being carried by either Tambacan or Bordon during the alleged incident. Clearly, the nature and identity of the alleged firearm in the viral video had not been clearly established,” ruled Ombudsman Martires.
Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code provides that any public officer who, by reason of the duties of his office, is accountable for public funds or property, shall appropriate the same, or shall take or misappropriate or shall consent, or through abandonment or negligence, shall permit any other person to take such public funds or property, wholly or partially, or shall otherwise be guilty of the misappropriation or malversation of such funds or property.”
Sorongon welcomed the Ombudsman decision. He said the complaint was a political harassment.
“We are thankful. The truth has come out,” said Sorongon./PN
