THE Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas dismissed the malversation of public funds complaint against Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia and two others in relation to the P49-million cash advance of fuel in 2008.
The decision dated September 26, 2018 was signed by graft investigator and prosecutor officer II Carl Vincent Sasuman and was approved by Ombudsman Samuel Martires on March 1, 2019.
The complainant was the Field Investigation Office, Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas and it was originally filed by Sara Esguerra, Othello Ramos and two others in 2009.
The resolution stated that the case of malversation of public funds against Leonardia, Eduardo Ravena, former city accountant; and Ricardo Dahildahil, an officer-in-charge of Management and Audit Services Office, is dismissed for lack of probable cause.
The Ombudsman, however, found probable cause to indict Leonardia, Ravena and Dahidahil for four counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019, as amended, let the corresponding information be filed in the proper court, the resolution added.
The resolution further stated that as to respondents Ronilo Quebrar, former director of Bacolod City Police Office; Belly Aguillon, officer-in-charge of City Engineer’s Office; Teresita Guadalupe, former head of the Office of the Building Official; Roberto Lizares; and Francis Torres, the complaint is dismissed for insufficiency of evidence.
City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan clarified Friday that the case is still pending in the Office of the Ombudsman and there’s no indictment yet against Leonardia, Ravena and Dahildahil.
“The order of the Ombudsman is not yet final so Mayor Leonardia is not indicted,” Bayatan said.
He said he already verified to the Sandigan Bayan and the case is not yet filed in the court.
“The case is still at the level of the Ombudsman and the case is not yet final because there’s still a motion for reconsideration,” he added.
The copy of the order was earlier distributed to the media by Leonardia’s opponent mayoral candidate Jocelle Batapa-Sigue.