Ombudsman suspends 2 QC barangay execs for ‘undocumented’ transactions

MANILA, Philippines—The Office of the Ombudsman on Friday ordered the preventive suspension of a barangay captain and barangay treasurer in Quezon City.

The directive comes after it was found that numerous transactions involving millions of public funds lacked the supporting documents.

In a statement, the ombudsman said it suspended barangay captain Ronald Noga Tagle and barangay treasurer Richelle Ann Formanes Santillan of Barangay Quirino 3-B (Claro) for up to six months.

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The order was released following a Commission on Audit (COA) report that flagged “financial irregularities and unsupported disbursements of barangay funds.”

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According to the ombudsman, the COA Quezon City Field Office audited the funds of Barangay Quirino 3-B (Claro) and found various deficiencies.

This result prompted the issuance of “numerous” audit observation memoranda and notices of disallowance from 2017 to 2020.

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Among the deficiencies cited by COA include the “non-submission of required supporting documents, as well as irregularities in the utilization, documentation, and processing of barangay funds.”

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The ombudsman noted that, based on the COA’s findings, there were procurement transactions in 2017 and 2018 worth a total of P1.4 million that did not have complete documentations.

The audit report also found “undocumented disbursements,” or transactions lacking mandatory supporting documents, worth P15.9 million in 2020, P24 million in 2021, P17.6 million in 2022, and P17.8 million in 2023.

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Despite repeated directives from COA, the ombudsman noted that Tagle and Santillan still failed to submit the necessary accounting records.

The ombudsman added that Tagle and Santillan also authorized the release of P22.7 million worth of public funds without the required disbursement vouchers.

This action led COA to issue several notices of disallowance.

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The total amount of unsettled disallowances currently amounts to P22.2 million, noted the ombudsman, after P431,818 worth of disallowances were lifted, following an appeal.

Moreover, the ombudsman said the savings of Barangay Quirino 3B (Claro) from 2018 to 2023 were withdrawn by Tagle, in conspiracy with Santillan, to be allocated for “non-existent or ghost projects.”

Citing its suspension order, the ombudsman said “the evidence of guilt” against Tagle and Santillan “was strong” and “their continued stay in office could prejudice the administrative proceedings.”

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It then directed the Quezon City local government to enforce the preventive suspension immediately, and inform the ombudsman of the action taken, within three days of the receipt of its order. /apl