2 weeks ago
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TANAUAN CITY — Calls for an immediate suspension of this city's mayor are growing, pending an investigation into a graft and plunder complaint filed against him at the Office of the Ombudsman in September 2024.
The charges, composed of nine counts of serious financial irregularities and abuse of power, were filed against Tanauan City Mayor Nelson Collantes by the complainant, Marlon Parma Parpiga, a resident of Barangay Poblacion 1.
Parpiga's complaint details numerous alleged offenses, including the hiring of approximately 850 undocumented job order employees in 2023, potentially constituting "ghost employees."
Based on a 52-page complaint affidavit received by the Ombudsman and dated Sept. 18, 2024, the city mayor is facing violation of Section 3 (a), (e), (h) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, grave misconduct, prejudicial to the best interest of the service, dishonesty, falsification of official documents, failure to render accounts under Art. 218 of the Revised Penal Code, illegal use of public funds under Art. 220 of the Revised Penal Code or Technical Malversation, and plunder.
The complaint also alleges the procurement of over P1.5 billion in goods and services without following proper procedures, the mismanagement of cash advances and the splitting of contracts to avoid mandatory bidding.
Further allegations include overpriced infrastructure projects exceeding P5 million, the misuse of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund for service vehicles, self-promotion using government resources during a calamity (Typhoon Christine on July 16, 2024) and corrupt practices related to the awarding of government scholarships. The complaint also cites a general lack of proper documentation for payables.
Parpiga criticizes the Ombudsman's apparent inaction on the complaint, highlighting the violation of RA 6713 (mandating a 15-day response to complaints) and RA 9485 (the Anti-Red Tape Act).
He argued that Mayor Collantes' alleged actions constitute a betrayal of public trust and demanded his immediate suspension to prevent further potential wrongdoing while the investigation proceeds.
The complaint cites violations of RA 3019 and RA 7080, along with established Commission on Audit regulations, as justification for the call for suspension.
