CEBU CITY -- Former Cebu congresswoman Clavel Asas Martinez will face a malversation charge for allegedly keeping money meant for the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) in a private account, the anti-graft office said Friday.
Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro has approved graft charges against Martinez over P10 million released to her from the Priority Development Assistance Fund.
Martinez will be charged before the Sandiganbayan over allegations from the ombudsman's field investigators that P10 million meant for the GSP in Cebu City in 2003 went into Martinez's BPI account instead. She was president of the GSP Cebu at the time.
Casimiro said they were able to establish that a total of P11.5 million from the PDAF went to the GSP account but was later withdrawn by GSP treasurer Ma. Cielo A. Martinez, through a manager's check.
The amount was then put into Clavel Martinez's own account.
The P1.5 million was later returned to the government when it was found that the money was meant as pork barrel funds for Bayan Muna party-list.
The P10 million allegedly remained in Representative Martinez's account.
"Although respondent raised the defense that the amount of P10 million was returned to government coffers in 2005, or two years later, it still does not discount the fact that public funds were embezzled and appropriated for personal use," Casimiro said.
The former congresswoman's son, former Bogo City mayor Celestino "Tining" Martinez III, declined to comment on Friday, saying he has not received the order yet.
Also ordered charged were Tining, municipal treasurer Rhett Minguez, municipal accountant Cresencio Verdida, bookkeeper Rhodariza Kilantang and GSP Cebu Council cashier Julieta Quino. (With RSA of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
