Former Nueva Ecija Gov. Tomas Joson III and two past provincial treasurers have been charged with corruption before the Office of the Ombudsman.The criminal charges were filed by Raymund Sarmiento, head of the Nueva Ecija provincial government’s Public Affairs and Monitoring Office, against Joson and Lilia de Jesus and Adoracion Del Rosario–Sumangil, who had served as acting provincial treasurers.
In his sworn statement, Sarmiento said Joson, De Jesus and Del Rosario–Sumangil failed to remit loan payments amounting to P1.457 million to the Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corp., a government-owned and controlled company.
The amount came from salary deductions from provincial government employees who took out loans under a livelihood assistance program.
Sarmiento also said the provincial government failed to pay a penalty of 2 percent a month for delayed remittances.
He attached copies of disbursement vouchers for the deductions that he said were not remitted.
Sarmeinto said the loan payments were considered public funds held in trust, and could only be spent for the specific purpose for which that trust was created.
Since the funds were not remitted, it was presumed those were used for some other purpose, he said, accusing Joson, De Jesus and Del Rosario-Sumangil were liable for the misuse of public funds.
Sarmiento said the actions of the three had caused undue injury to the government.
The complaint seeks the suspension of De Jesus and Del Rosario-Sumangil, who are assistant provincial treasurer and chief of the Land Tax Division, respectively, until the case is settled.
Joson was governor of Nueva Ecija for three terms, from 1998 to 2007, De Jesus was acting provincial treasurer from July 1 to Sept. 30, 2005, while Del Rosario-Sumangil held the post, also in an acting capacity, from Nov. 2, 2006 to the end of Joson’s tenure in office last year.
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