A TOWN official facing multiple charges for graft and malversation of public public funds surrendered to police in Zamboanga peninsula, Thursday, December 8.
Mayor Patchito Equia of Katipunan town, Zamboanga del Norte voluntarily surrendered when police and the Provincial Intelligence and Detection Management Branch served him the warrant of arrest around 7:30 a.m.
Zamboanga del Norte police director Senior Superintendent Edwin Wagan said Equia is facing the warrants of arrest for the 86 counts charges for violation of Republic Act 3019 otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act with P2,580,000 bail; and 71 counts of malversation of public funds penalized under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines with recommended bail of P2.5 million.
The charges stemmed from his unliquidated cash advances for travel expenses the past years despite request from the Commission on Audit.