The Office of the Ombudsman ordered Friday the dismissal and filing of graft charges against Duero, Bohol Mayor Al Taculad over alleged conflict of interest regarding his procurement of ₱79.33  government infrastructure projects within his municipality.

State investigators found that the construction company of Taculad was directly involved in two separate projects under the Department of Public Works Highways in 2023.

The particular projects that were flagged were a river control project along Guinsularan river in Barangga Lobogon and a rain water collector system in Barangay San Pedro.

At the time that the projects were constructed, Ombudsman officials identified that Taculad was the owner of Altaces Construction—despite his role as the municipality’s mayor.

The mayor’s name was also found as a signatory and payee in documents under the construction company which had received ₱76.21 million as part of the transactions.

“All documents reflected identical signatures of Taculad in the questioned projects. Billings and payment were also made to the account of Taculad,” the ruling stated. 

In his defense on the findings, the Ombudsman said that Taculad claimed that his signatures in the documents were forged and that payments were directly received by his company.

State investigators were not persuaded by the assertion as it maintained that the mayor had a “direct or indirect financial or pecuniary interest” in the subject projects.

The anti-graft body maintained that no official was allowed to have financial interests that directly conflicted with their official duties.

“Respondent is prohibited to serve two masters at the same time, so to speak,” the Ombudsman said.