BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio Leonardia’s Executive Assistant Samuel Montoyo dismissed on Wednesday, June 21, the statement of Sarah Esguerra, spokesperson of former mayor Monico Puentevella, regarding the controversial funds of the Bacolod Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Basoc).
Esguerra said the liquidation of the Basoc funds is still pending and being reviewed by the Commission on Audit (COA).
It was reported earlier that on November 25, 2016, the Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to file the criminal complaints against Puentevella on the P50.5-million funds of Basoc while the complaints against his two co-respondents Edwin Javellana and Eric Loretizo were dismissed.
The 17-page resolution was signed by Graft Investigator and Prosecution Officer III Portia Pacquiao and was approved by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on May 26, 2017.
The complainant was the Field Investigation Office, Office of the Ombudsman.
The resolution stated that finding probable cause against Puentevella for malversation of public funds (Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code) and violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, let the corresponding information be filed against him in the proper court.
Montoyo, chairman of Save Bacolod Movement Inc., said in a press conference Wednesday that on September 14, 2009, former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman Harry Angping filed a plunder case against Puentevella with the Department of Justice for failure to liquidate fully the P50.5-million funds of the Basoc.
He said that on June 9, 2010, the COA issued a Special Audit Observation Memorandum to Angping relative to the unliquidated P50.5-million, and then on June 27, 2012, the total amount of P41,631,117.96 was suspended in audit by COA-PSC in their audit disposition on Basoc.
Esguerra also said that in most cases, it is premature for the Ombudsman to decide on this case simply because the COA has yet to give its final resolution.
“Esguerra should show the evidence that it’s still being reviewed by COA,” Montoyo said.
