THE Office of the Ombudsman Visayas has ordered former Moises Padilla mayor Francisco Nazareno in Negros Occidental to submit a reply on the graft charges filed against him.
The order dated March 28, signed by Evaluation and Investigation Office acting director Euphemia Bacalso, said it found “enough basis” to proceed with the criminal investigation on the graft charges filed by municipal accountant Elsie Meguiso.
The former mayor was also directed to submit a reply 10 days from the receipt of the order. Failure to reply shall be deemed a waiver of the right to counter-affidavit and that the investigation will proceed, the order said.
“Motion to dismiss, or bill of particulars and dilatory motions including, but not limited to, motions for extension of time, second motions for reconsideration and/or re-investigation are prohibited pleadings and shall be stricken off the records of the case,” the Ombudsman said.
Nazareno was the town mayor from 2007 to 2013.
In Meguiso’s complaint-affidavit, she alleged that Nazareno implemented a purchase of supplies, material and fuel worth P9,773,314 from the supplier owned by the mother-in-law of his son, adding that the signature of his son also appeared on several checks.
Meguiso said that Nazareno “has given a private party unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the purchase of the foregoing items amounting in millions of pesos. The fact that the suppliers are owned by the mother-in-law of his own son shows clear and manifest bad faith.”
The complainant added that it shows “financial interest” as the supplier was Nazareno’s relative and that the payment was made to his son, Francisco Nazareno Jr. (MPE)