ILOILO CITY — Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. is facing criminal and administrative charges due to the alleged unscrupulous use of more than PHP17 million in Disbursement Acceleration Program fund during the 2013 campaign period.
Former provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada filed the charges Thursday before the Office of the Ombudsman, particularly technical malversation, graft and corruption and violation of the Omnibus Election Code.
He also filed charges for serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service.
Mejorada accused Defensor of disbursing the fund as financial, educational, burial and medical assistance during the election campaign period.
Mejorada also accused Defensor of violating the election ban on the spending of public funds during the 45-day campaign period. Under Comelec Resolution No. 9585, series of 2012, the 45-day campaign period began on March 29, 2013 and ended on May 13, 2013.
“These disbursements are the worst corruption that I have seen in the province of Iloilo,” he said.
Meanwhile, during his regular press conference on the same day, Defensor branded all of Mejorada’s accusations against him as “baseless.”
“Let him do his worst,” he said.
Defensor said Mejorada has also filed charges against Ilonggo Senator Franklin Drilon but they were dismissed.
He claimed that Mejorada is being paid to do those things against him.
“He is a paid hack,” he said but did name who paid Mejorada.
Provincial legal officer Dennis Ventilacion welcomed the charges filed against the governor, “so that we would prove the whole theory of the accusations.” (Cindy Ferrer/PNA)
