Ombudsman warns vs. use of gov't fuel for private vehicles
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The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday warned government officials and employees against using fuel allocated for government vehicles for private vehicles amid rising fuel costs.
In a statement, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla issued the warning citing a recent case involving a former Bohol provincial board member who was dismissed from service for such offense.
“Acts like this destroy the image of government. Ang mga ganitong gawain—kasama na ang mga higop gasolina, pagkarga sa hindi government vehicle, at pamemeke ng mga resibo—ay hindi ipagsasawalang-bahala ng ahensya,” Remulla said.
(Acts like this destroy the image of government. These kinds of acts—including siphoning off gasoline, loading non-government vehicles, and forging receipts—will not be ignored by the agency.)
The Ombudsman said then Bohol Second District Provincial Board Member Vierna Mae Boniel-Maglasang was ordered dismissed from service for two counts of Serious Dishonesty.
She was penalized with all the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, and is barred from taking civil service examinations. Her retirement benefits were also forfeited.
The Ombudsman said Boniel-Maglasang used a total of 100 liters of gasoline in 2024 that had been allocated for a government vehicle but was instead dispensed into private motor vehicles.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Bohol Third District Board Member Dionisio Joseph Balite.
In its 13-page decision, the Ombudsman said charging fuel expenses for a vehicle not covered by the authorized government fuel allocation system showed an intent to circumvent accounting and auditing rules.
According to the Ombudsman, the act also indicated an intent to obtain material gain and could constitute graft and corruption. — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News
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