IN A statement furnished this writer by Mabalacat City News, through the kindness of Rosan Paquia, City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) chief and officer-in-charge, City Agriculture Office, the Office of the Ombudsman has reportedly dismissed with finality the fund malversation complaint filed against City Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo and four other government officials-City Human Resources Management Officer Merla P. de Leon, City Accountant Aileen C. Rigor, then Acting City Treasurer Marlene M. Mendiola and then Assistant (acting?) City Budget Officer Narce P. Paquia.
The charges stemmed from the complaints of former City Councilor Jerry Basilio and Rogelio "Jeng" Yumul. They alleged that Mayor Garbo and the four government officials violated Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code by diversion of funds for salaries of job order (JO) personnel.
The Order of the Ombudsman, however, disputed the allegations saying that the funds allocated for the salaries of the JO personnel were applied to pay for the special rates of some JO personnel and therefore there was no technical malversation.
Mayor Garbo, in accepting the Order of the Ombudsman, said "that the decision of the higher court brings justice for the wrongfully accused since the documentary proofs presented to the court invalidate the claims of the complainants.
He added that whatever their motives were, it is clear to the people of Mabalacat that the funds were used in its most forthright way. Transparency and accountability have been my consistent pillars in local governance.
The documentary evidences presented by the mayor included Appropriation Ordinance (AO) No. 6, series of 2017 and Appropriation Ordinance No. 8, series of 2018 which were both passed by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
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The Pampanga Field Office of the Department of Labor and Employment has transferred its offices from Esting's Building, Barangay Dolores to Kingspire Business Center, San Isidro, City of San Fernando.
I accompanied my daugther, Janine to file a complaint versus J4 plus Construction with offices at Barangay Mabiga, Mabalacat City, beside Goldenland Subdivision gate.
In her complaint, my daugther alleged she was illegally dismissed without due process. She was fully attended to by Ms. Arlene Tolentino, head of the field office who promised to call J4 Construction firm and, possibly, visit the same.