FORMER Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson, his son, and brother were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly misusing tobacco excise tax funds.
Represented by lawyer Estelita Cordero, the Warriors Ti Ilocos Sur Inc. filed the criminal and administrative complaints on Monday at the Ombudsman’s central office in Quezon City against Singson, his son — ex-governor Ryan Luis Singson — and incumbent Gov. Jeremias Singson, the former’s younger brother.
Also named respondents in the complaint were former and current members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board), Pablito Sanidad Jr., Joselle Gironella, Gina Cordero, Mildred Elaydo, Benjamin Maggay, Leopoldo Gironella Jr., Mikaela Karita Singson-Bautista, Constante Oandasan, Ronnie Rapanut, Efren Rafanan Sr., Francisco Arturo Ranches III, and Art Constantine Oandasan.
The elder Singson dismissed the case as harassment. He said his team will withhold a formal response until they have reviewed the complaint.
Cordero, who also serves as the group’s president, said hundreds of millions of pesos in tobacco excise tax funds were misused in violation of Republic Act 7171, or an Act to Promote the Development of the Farmers in the Virginia Tobacco Producing Provinces.
“The funds were originally intended for the establishment of the Tobacco Farmers Convention Center, which was later converted into the ‘Chavit Coliseum,’” the complaint said.
The Singsons and the board members violated the provisions of RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) “for allegedly giving unwarranted benefits to Chavit Singson through manifest partiality and evident bad faith,” the group said.
They also face charges for violating RA 8240 “for the alleged misuse of tobacco excise tax revenues, which are legally mandated for specific agricultural and livelihood projects,” according to Cordero.
“The respondents also violated Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code (Technical Malversation) for alleged application of public funds to use other than that for which they were originally appropriated,” said Cordero.
The group claimed that about P585 million was spent building the Tobacco Farmers Convention Center. Work on the facility started in 2008 but 10 years later, “the project was less than 10 percent complete and subsequently abandoned."
Despite recommendations from the Commission on Audit (COA) to complete the facility, the respondents allegedly diverted funds to put up the “Chavit Coliseum” on the same site, the complaint said.
“The coliseum is characterized as a ‘tribute to Chavit Singson’ rather than a facility serving the mandated agro-industrial needs of tobacco farmers,” the group said.
The complainant alleged that the coliseum did not qualify as a cooperative, livelihood, or agro-industrial project under RA 8240, but “represents a willful diversion of public trust and property for personal and political aggrandizement.”
Seeking the Ombudsman’s formal filing of charges against the respondents, the complainant also sought their preventive suspension for six months without pay to prevent the tampering of evidence or intimidation of witnesses.
Cordero said for decades, the power was said to have been “concentrated, recycle and protected within a single political family.”
“The dynastic self-serving rule of the Singsons in Ilocos Sur is now at its dead end. Jail time awaits the clan for their past activities that only enrich themselves, not the Ilocanos, particularly the farmers,” she said.
