Barangay chair declared used vehicles brand new

The reelected chairman of a village in Las Piñas City is facing another complaint for allegedly purchasing two secondhand rescue vehicles but declared them as brand new.

The complainant, Enrico Medina, an incumbent council member of Barangay Daniel Fajardo, claimed that their village head, Robert Cristobal, purchased a small fire truck and an ambulance last year. Although both were used, the vehicles were passed on as brand new, he said.

"Before they purchased the vehicles, we had a meeting but there was no minutes of the meeting. We seldom have meetings to discuss projects or expenses. The fire truck was delivered a week after we supposedly had a meeting,” he added.

Medina claimed he had no say in the purchase of the vehicles.

“When Chairman Cristobal called for meetings for the purchase of two vehicles, he told stories and did not ask our advice. He would just say that he bought secondhand vehicles and that was that,” the council member said.

Medina is one of the five members of the barangay appropriations committee, the panel responsible for allocating funds.

He maintained that he did not get the chance to read budget reports because he felt “pressured” by Edna Cristobal, the barangay administrator.

"We were just asked to sign contracts and budget reports. Every time I was about to read the documents, they would pressure me to speed it up because allegedly they are waiting for my signature. They would say, ‘Don’t read the documents anymore, CoA and the mayor are waiting,’ so I ended up not reading the entire thing,” he said.

Medina maintained that “there was corruption in the release of funds for the ambulance and fire truck.”

Medina is the second council member to accuse Cristobal of irregularities. Demetrio Fajardo, another council member, earlier filed a complaint against the village chief before the Department of the Interior and Local Government because of his failure to hold sessions for eight months.

Fajardo also claimed that Cristobal does not reside in their barangay.

Cristobal however said he was never involved in any illegal practice during his term as barangay chairman.

"I only want to help others and yet they have these issues against me. They are trying to destroy what I have accomplished in so many years. I feel bad but I am not a violent person, so I will just leave this issue to God,” he said. (Source: The Manila Times under the original title: Village head declared used vehicles brand new)