Advocacy group blasts town officials' 'unsatisfactory' House probe answers

An advocacy group has criticized the "unsatisfactory" answers of two local officials in a recent congressional hearing on public accounts.

The People's Coalition Against Crime and Corruption Group (PCACCG) said Mayor Janet Ilagan and Vice Mayor Jay Ilagan of Mataasnakahoy town in Batangas failed to adequately explain alleged misuse of public funds and irregularities in their municipal operations during a House committee hearing.

"The couple failed to answer many questions satisfactorily," said the PCACCG which attended the hearing on House Resolution 2102, chaired by Representative Joseph Paduano.

A member of the group who filed complaints against the Ilagans with the Ombudsman, alleged the couple failed to implement numerous projects over a four-year period.

"Mayor Ilagan herself admitted that only seven of their 11 projects were fully completed," the group said. "Their explanations that their practices are also being done by other local government units are not acceptable."

The PCACCG's December complaint to the Ombudsman accused the Ilagans of violating anti-graft laws, gross negligence, grave misconduct, and the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The complaint also alleged various irregularities, including a 2021 cash deficit exceeding P5 million that affected the municipality's ability to pay its liabilities.

It also alleges deficiencies in Covid-19-related disbursements totaling P7,771,859.43.

The complaint also alleged Mayor Ilagan erred in acquiring a lot without the required certification from the Department of Agriculture, as the land was previously agricultural.