Mayor Alfredo Lim is once again placed under public scrutiny after graft charges were filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman last April 8, 2010. Lim allegedly conspired with other Manila officials to a non-existent affair and falsified receipts, which is said to have cost the city of Manila P221, 250.00. Lim's former legal adviser, Reynaldo L. Bagatsing filed the graft charges against the Mayor and his allies. In his sworn affidavit, Bagatsing requested for the Ombudsman to place the officials under preventive suspension.
Seven officials of the city of Manila were also included in Bagatsing's testimony for their role in the anomaly. The seven were Atty. Rafaelito M. Garayblas, Atty. Analyn T. Marcelo-Buan, Maria Lourdes R. Malulu, Cherry Chao, Cecilia V. Sican, Leanie S. Sanding, and Vicky R. Valientes. Accordingly, in his sworn statement, Bagatsing pointed out that Lim and the said officials' falsified the receipts issued by Angel's Burger House. The plaintiff also said that the Manila officials conspired to make it appear that the Barangay Bureau held a city wide assembly called Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team last August 27, 2009, which Bagatsing have affirmed as a non-existent affair.
In what appears to be another Manila government anomaly, Lim's former legal counsel described in detail how the illegal activity took place. It was said in the statement that in the reimbursement voucher presented by the officials, it was written that 5,500 pieces of cheeseburgers were consumed by the participants in the assembly. Bagatsing took note that a small burger joint like that of Angel's is not capable of producing such large number of orders, as deliveries like that could be finished in 15 days. To make matters worse based from the inspection report filed on October 19, 2009, which was certified by Cecilia V. Sican, Inspector of the City General Services Office (CGSO), the original receipt numbers provided by the burger joint were 0066 and 0067, a far cry from the receipts and reimbursement voucher handed by the perpetrators to the city treasurer of Manila which were 0214 and 0215.
Due to the forged documents presented by the officials to the city treasurer of Manila during the reimbursement process, they were able to obtain P221, 250.00. All the evidences gathered by the complainant apparently shows that the officials violated articles 217 and 171 of the revised penal code or the malversation of public funds property and falsification by public officer, employee or notary or ecclesiastical minister respectively. This Manila government anomaly well exemplified that such release of government funds for liquidation associated with the alleged city wide Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team did not conduct the required bidding, proving that the officials failed to adhere to Section 367 of Republic Act No. 7160 (R.A. 7160), otherwise referred to as the local government code of 1991. It should be noted that the P221, 250.00 worth of reimbursement in this transaction exceeded the required amount stated under Section 367 of R.A. 7160, which particularly identified that the procurement of supplies should not exceed the amount of P 150, 000.00 for any items within a month for each of local unit, may it be first or second class cities within the Manila area.
The former legal counsel of Alfredo Lim brought him into charges as he was represented in the said transaction by his secretary Rafaelito Garayblas. Lim's secretary signed the false and manufactured documents, thereby giving his authority and consent among the Manila officials who oversee the fruition of this illegal transaction. Although Lim may not have directly signed in this anomalous activity, the mere fact that his secretary has authorized the existence of this corrupt practice with his knowledge makes him liable as well. On a similar note, considering that Garayblas is Lim's secretary, it is then agreeable that he was informed about the transaction in the first place.
With the election already nearing, graft charges are the last thing that any person running for office would wish to be associated with. Mayor Alfredo Lim consistently won the trust of the publicly, which is why he is still in the office to date. However, this fraudulent transaction that he and his colleagues are allegedly involved with is a clear manifestation of betrayal of the public's trust. It is therefore an imperative for these officials to clarify this issue so as not to tarnish the reputations that they have taken care off for a long time.
Mayor Alfredo Lim, together with seven other Manila officials, was allegedly involved in another Manila government anomaly that is centered on the falsification and malversation of documents. Lim's former legal counsel, Reynaldo Bagatsing filed the lawsuit before the Ombudsman after he was able to secure evidences to support his claim about the involvement of the said officials and Angel's Burger House.
Seven officials of the city of Manila were also included in Bagatsing's testimony for their role in the anomaly. The seven were Atty. Rafaelito M. Garayblas, Atty. Analyn T. Marcelo-Buan, Maria Lourdes R. Malulu, Cherry Chao, Cecilia V. Sican, Leanie S. Sanding, and Vicky R. Valientes. Accordingly, in his sworn statement, Bagatsing pointed out that Lim and the said officials' falsified the receipts issued by Angel's Burger House. The plaintiff also said that the Manila officials conspired to make it appear that the Barangay Bureau held a city wide assembly called Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team last August 27, 2009, which Bagatsing have affirmed as a non-existent affair.
In what appears to be another Manila government anomaly, Lim's former legal counsel described in detail how the illegal activity took place. It was said in the statement that in the reimbursement voucher presented by the officials, it was written that 5,500 pieces of cheeseburgers were consumed by the participants in the assembly. Bagatsing took note that a small burger joint like that of Angel's is not capable of producing such large number of orders, as deliveries like that could be finished in 15 days. To make matters worse based from the inspection report filed on October 19, 2009, which was certified by Cecilia V. Sican, Inspector of the City General Services Office (CGSO), the original receipt numbers provided by the burger joint were 0066 and 0067, a far cry from the receipts and reimbursement voucher handed by the perpetrators to the city treasurer of Manila which were 0214 and 0215.
Due to the forged documents presented by the officials to the city treasurer of Manila during the reimbursement process, they were able to obtain P221, 250.00. All the evidences gathered by the complainant apparently shows that the officials violated articles 217 and 171 of the revised penal code or the malversation of public funds property and falsification by public officer, employee or notary or ecclesiastical minister respectively. This Manila government anomaly well exemplified that such release of government funds for liquidation associated with the alleged city wide Barangay Peace Keeping Action Team did not conduct the required bidding, proving that the officials failed to adhere to Section 367 of Republic Act No. 7160 (R.A. 7160), otherwise referred to as the local government code of 1991. It should be noted that the P221, 250.00 worth of reimbursement in this transaction exceeded the required amount stated under Section 367 of R.A. 7160, which particularly identified that the procurement of supplies should not exceed the amount of P 150, 000.00 for any items within a month for each of local unit, may it be first or second class cities within the Manila area.
The former legal counsel of Alfredo Lim brought him into charges as he was represented in the said transaction by his secretary Rafaelito Garayblas. Lim's secretary signed the false and manufactured documents, thereby giving his authority and consent among the Manila officials who oversee the fruition of this illegal transaction. Although Lim may not have directly signed in this anomalous activity, the mere fact that his secretary has authorized the existence of this corrupt practice with his knowledge makes him liable as well. On a similar note, considering that Garayblas is Lim's secretary, it is then agreeable that he was informed about the transaction in the first place.
With the election already nearing, graft charges are the last thing that any person running for office would wish to be associated with. Mayor Alfredo Lim consistently won the trust of the publicly, which is why he is still in the office to date. However, this fraudulent transaction that he and his colleagues are allegedly involved with is a clear manifestation of betrayal of the public's trust. It is therefore an imperative for these officials to clarify this issue so as not to tarnish the reputations that they have taken care off for a long time.
Mayor Alfredo Lim, together with seven other Manila officials, was allegedly involved in another Manila government anomaly that is centered on the falsification and malversation of documents. Lim's former legal counsel, Reynaldo Bagatsing filed the lawsuit before the Ombudsman after he was able to secure evidences to support his claim about the involvement of the said officials and Angel's Burger House.
