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Thursday, August 10, 2006
Woman sues official for forgery, dishonesty
By Ana Felicia Dulay
DAVAO CITY -- A resident of Kingking, Pantukan, Compostela Valley Province filed a complaint against a Provincial Board member for forgery, malversation, and grave dishonesty.
Daisy Tolentino, in the complaint she submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman said provincial official Graciano Arafol, a lawyer, forged her signature to claim medical and burial assistance she never asked for or received.
She added that Arafol forged her signature to avail of assistance under the Rural Development Fund.
Tolentino said she was shocked to learn about a medical certificate that recommended her for general check up of her genital organ.
She claimed such is libelous and scandalous since she has no medical problems with her genital organ.
The medical certificate was reportedly dated March 22, 2004 and issued by Dr. Salustina Taga.
Tolentino said she could not remember going to Arafol to request for medical assistance for the checkup of her genital organ.
She also denies seeking the barangay chair or the municipal social welfare office requesting documents in relation to the medical assistance.
A Land Bank check dated March 24, 2004, which Tolentino attached to her affidavit, has her name as payee for the sum of P5,000.
Tolentino denies cashing the check or receiving the amount.
She accused Arafol of forging her signature and falsifying all supporting documents for the medical assistance.
Whistleblower
Supporting Tolentino's claim is an affidavit signed by Jocelyn Chong, a resident of Matiao, Pantukan who was a working staff of Arafol's legal program.
Chong, in her affidavit, said she has witnessed Angela Arafol, the niece of lawyer Arafol who works as the official's personal secretary, prepare medical certificates and barangay certification as attachments to medical and burial assistance fund of various beneficiaries under the Rural Development Fund.
Chong said she was instructed by Arafol and Angela to type referrals for the beneficiaries.
She also said in her affidavit that she had seen Angela and Arafol's wife Gloria sign the medical certifications above the name of Taga.
Chong said the barangay certifications were also falsified and signed by either Angela or Gloria.
Chong added that sometime on March 2004, Arafol instructed her to collect several checks from Hanibe Generale of the Municipal Treasurer's Office.
She said the checks were under the names of several payees intended as financial and burial assistance under the Rural Development Fund.
Chong said she turned over the checks to Gloria at her residence in Pantukan.
Chong further said she was instructed by the couple to deposit the checks at the Rural Bank of Montevista, Pantukan. She added that the passbook of the account was in the possession of the Arafols.
She said she forged the endorsement of the checks upon the instruction of Gloria.
Chong said she also saw Gloria forged several checks inside the bank premises before presenting these to the teller for deposit.
Chong said several days later, after the bank cleared the checks, she was asked to withdraw the amount of P80,000 and gave the money to Gloria who was with her inside the bank the whole time.
She said Arafol called her up at about the same time and instructed her to withdraw P10,000 from the Rural Bank of Montevista.
Chong said the amount was used for election expenses as Arafol was running for re-election as board member of the Compostela Valley at that time.
Rural fund
Rural Development Fund is a fund from the Provincial Government distributed to the different board members.
Unconfirmed reports reveal that each board member was given at least P400,000 to distribute as financial assistance to constituents of Compostela Valley.
Arafol in a phone interview on Wednesday denied forging any signatures or committing acts of dishonesty.
"Everything is in order. All the documents are open," he said.
Arafol said that though he has yet to receive a copy of Tolentino's complaint, all these are "a matter of records, which can be traced out."
As for Chong, Arafol admitted she was one of his staff but claimed he dismissed her for "unauthorized collections" in one of his projects.
Arafol said he is willing to answer the charges once he is furnished a copy of the complaints against him.
"I do not have a solid grasp of the issue yet," he said.
Legal issues
Ombudsman for Mindanao OIC-Director Rodolfo Elman said that if found guilty, the penalty for grave misconduct is dismissal from the government service.
Elman, however, was quick to add that all complaints filed in their office have to undergo the legal process and the merits of the case will be based on the evidence presented.
"It would also depend if there is a witness who is willing to testify," he said.
He said the penalty for malversation of funds depends on the amount involved.
"If it exceeds P200,000, the penalty will be reclusion perpetua. That could mean life imprisonment," he said in telephone interview Wednesday, adding that normally, they finish a resolution on a case between 60 to 90 days. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(August 10, 2006 issue)
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