■ EX-ALCOY MAYOR FREE TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE CEBU AGAIN

The hold-departure order issued against former Alcoy mayor Nicomedes de los Santos was lifted after he pleaded guilty to charges that he failed to liquidate his cash advances totaling P199,624 in 2011. The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division also ordered de los Santos to pay a total of P30,000 representing the 10 counts of violation of Article 218 (failure to render accounts) of the Revised Penal Code. “Accused admits his guilt freely and voluntarily with full knowledge of the consequence and meaning of the act, with a clear understanding of the precise nature of the crime charged in the information,” read the Sandiganbayan’s twopage decision penned by Associate Justice Rafael Lagos. The case stemmed from the criminal and administrative complaint filed Ombudsman-Visayas’ Field Investigation Office, which accused de los Santos of failure to liquidate and account for his cash advances issued to him from November 2006 to July 2011. Based on the list of unliquidated cash advances submitted by state auditors, de Los Santos received funds to cover expenses for meals, snacks, travel expenses, police operation expenses, intelligence funds, honorarium for referees in a basketball tournament, Lakbay Aral, Aliwan Festival and Suroy-Suroy Sugbo. Apart from the criminal case, the ombudsman also found de los Santos administratively liable for simple neglect of duty and was ordered suspended for one month and one day. But since he is no longer in service, the penalty was converted to a fine equivalent to one month’s salary.