Ex-Taytay mayor cleared of malversation raps

Former Taytay, Rizal Mayor Joric Gacula announced on Monday that the Sandiganbayan has cleared him of a malversation of public funds case related to increasing the cash gift to senior citizens.

In a social media post, the former Taytay mayor disclosed that the anti-graft court dismissed the technical malversation case filed against him for increasing the cash gift to the city’s senior citizens to P4,000.

According to Gacula, the case was filed against him by a municipal hall employee and his/her relatives.

"Let's not ask who ordered and pushed them to file a case against me," Gacula said.

"What we emphasize is the decision of the court which states that the accusation of technical malversation is baseless, and the court recognized that we followed all the processes based on the ordinance for giving the P4,000 senior citizen cash gift," the former mayor added.

Gacula also clarified the allegation of the present administration that the funds they left with them were insufficient to continue the program.

"The court has agreed that our administration has implemented it correctly, and ensured that every senior citizen will be given the right amount, and paved the way for the next batch to be given and to continue it in the following years," he said.