MANILA- Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez and Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron were slapped with graft and grave misconduct complaints over supposed irregularities involving public funds as stated in Commission on Audit reports.

Complainant Mansueto Fuertes filed separate complaints against the 2 officials and several others over alleged violations of government procurement laws at the Office of the Ombudsman for Luzon.

Citing audit reports, Fuertes said P1.7 million was invested in time deposits by the provincial government instead of being utilized for various programs and projects.

Fuertes added that P2.5 million in loans were acquired without proper debt management policies and that a total of P147.8 million in infrastructure projects under the Kalsada Program was spent in violation of the government procurement law.

“All premises considered, respondents should be indicted for their unlawful acts which are clearly evident based on the COA findings conducted in the years 2015-2017,” Fuertes said in the complaint.

Also included in the complaint were Vice Governor Victorino Socrates, Board Members Roseller Pineda, Leoncio Ola, Winston Arzaga, David Ponce De Leon Jr., Cherry Pie Acosta, Marivic Roxas, Eduardo Modesto Rodriguez, Sharon Abiog-Onda, Sunny Batul, Albert Rama, Clarito Demaala Jr., Provincial Treasurer Elino Mondragon, Provincia Engineer Saylito Purisima, Liga ng mga Barangay President Dennis Sabando, and IPM Representative Joel Lumis, Jr.

City officials of Puerto Princesa City are also facing complaints before the Ombudsman, along with Bayron, but they were not specifically named.

Fuertes also cited COA reports involving projects amounting to P111 million funded by “ghost savings” and “invalid appropriations,” irregularities in 18 infrastructure projects amounting to P102 million, deficiencies in 28 projects amounting to P46.9 million, and non-implementation of 149 projects amounting to P741.3 million.

“Public respondents should be indicted for their unlawful acts which are clearly established based on the findings conducted in the years 2013-2017 which recommended the filing of appropriate actions,” Fuertes said.

Fuertes also asked the Ombudsman to order the preventive suspension of all the officials named as respondents in the 2 complaints.