Ex-mayor to face charges for unliquidated travel expenses

DAVAO CITY – Former Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur mayor Wilson Nandang will face charges for failure to liquidate travel expenses worth R1,250,000 from January 2011 to August, 2011, the Office of the Ombudsman said yesterday.

In a decision, the Ombudsman said the respondent will face 10 counts of violation of Article 217 or the Malversation of Public Funds and Article 218 or the Failure of Accountable Officer to Render Accounts of the Revised Penal Code.

The law provides that malversation is committed by any public officer who, by reason of the duties of office, is accountable for public funds, and appropriates the same or takes or misappropriates public funds, wholly or partially.

Meanwhile, Article 218 requires public officer, whether in the service or separated therefrom, to render account to the government.

It said that documents obtained by the Ombudsman showed that Nandang received 10 cash advances for travel expenses totalling R1,250,000 from January 2011 to August 2011, which he failed to liquidate despite the demand from the Commission on Audit (COA).

The Ombudsman explained that “cash advances for local travels must be liquidated within 30 days upon return to official station” under COA Circular No. 97-002.