By Macon Ramos Araneta

At least six mayors are facing charges for offenses ranging from graft practices to nepotism before the Ombudsman.

High on the list of Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez are Mayor Ignacio Taruc of Buguey town in Cagayan and Mayor Amelita Navarro of Santiago City in Isabela.

Taruc and Buguey town treasurer Imelda Umoso were charged with graft and corruption for conniving to deprive five casual employees of their salaries amounting to P32,000 in 2007.

Gutierrez ordered the filing of nepotism against Navarro for appointing her husband Jose Navarro as a director of Santiago City Water District, a government-owned and -controlled corporation, representing the medical sector.

Gutierrez gave the go-signal for the filing of criminal charges for various offenses against four former mayors namely: Randolph Ting of Tuguegarao City, Blas Canlas of Laur (Nueva Ecija), Remedios Bantug of Victorias City (Negros Occidental), and Rogelio Baquerfo Sr. of Tudela, Cebu.

Ting was ordered charged with graft for acquiring three lots for a cemetery project in a deal that is found grossly and manifestly disadvantageous to the city of Tuguegarao.

Ting purchased the properties ?knowing fully well that the price was way above the fair market price,? and despite lack of project study and initial clearance from the Health and the Environment departments.

Canlas, together with former Association of Barangay Captain president Adriano Padilla, and Barangay Captain Napoleon de la Cruz, all of Brgy. III, Poblacion, Laur, Nueva Ecija, were ordered charged with less serious physical injuries.

The three local officials conspired with each other in inflicting physical injuries to a resident of the locality.

Bantug along with city treasurer Nilda Generoso, budget officer Glenda Armada, accountant Mary Jean Ramos, and OIC-General Services Office Ferdinand Palanca, all of Victorias City, Negros Occidental, were charged with falsification of an official/public document.

They falsified an official/public document consisting of an Abstract of Bids by making it appear that three companies? Sonoray Medical Enterprises Inc., International Works Bell Inc. and Versaflex Pharma?submitted bids for a Quantum Brand x-ray machine, giving a semblance of regularity in the non-existent bidding for x-ray machine, according to the Ombudsman.

Only Sonoray Medical Enterprises Inc. made an offer to supply the equipment, the Ombudsman said.

Baquerfo was charged with malversation of public property, (Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code) for converting into his own personal use and benefit 350 bags of cement valued at P339,233, to the prejudice of his municipality.

Meanwhile, the Finance Department said its campaign against corruption has resulted in the dismissal or in some cases, suspension of 40 officials and employees, most of them coming from the bureaus of Customs and Internal Revenue.

The Finance?s anti-graft campaign is conducted by the Revenue Integrity Protection Service, whose agents do lifestyle check on officials and employees.