CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña called on government agencies to investigate the alleged anomaly involving Barangay San Roque officials, and said that even his allies should be included in the probe.
But before that, Osmeña joked that the former barangay captain who died six years ago but whose name still appears in barangay records to have attended meetings should land in the Guinness World Records.
In his news conference yesterday, the mayor acknowledged that there are some bad eggs even among the supporters of his political group Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK).
San Roque Barangay Captain Rogelio Ruizo and some barangay officials were reported to be facing a case before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for the alleged irregularities in the use of public funds.
A barangay councilor filed a criminal complaint against the barangay officials after learning that the officials submitted to the Department of Interior and Local Government a list of the attendees of a seven-day barangay-sponsored activity last year.
Former barangay captain Telesforo Rabaya, who died in 2004, was reportedly among those included in the list of attendees in the event that allegedly did not take place.
The issue that some barangay officials may have just pocketed the funds intended for the activity was raised during the mayor’s news conference yesterday, where he was asked about the inclusion of the dead village chief in the list.
“This should be included in the Guinness World Records.
(Seriously), the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit should look into this. It’s automatic, it came out already so they should follow through,” Osmeña said.
Even if they are his allies, Ruizo and the other barangay officials should be investigated and answer the complaint, he said.
He cited the case of the 31 traffic enforcers whose services he terminated last week after validating complaints that they had extorted money from motorists.