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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Thursday, July 6, 2017
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ILOILO City – The City Social Welfare and Development Office’s (CSWDO) office in Barangay M.H. del Pilar, Molo district was ransacked.
A broken glass window likely served as the gateway of the intruders, according to Police Auxiliary Vincent Tabol who discovered the break-in before dawn yesterday.
The CSWDO stockroom was also located in the office. Its padlocked door was forcibly opened but the culprits appeared interested in the Record Section.
The table drawers of day care workers Veronica Gregorio, Charmilet Jover and Chyril Morales, bookkeeper Ma. Lovic Lee, administrative officer Rosanna Arquisola, and welfare aide Ma. Lisa Ramos Tumambong were opened and their contents scattered all over the room.
On July 1, CSWDO chief Alfredo Villanueva retired ahead of this month’s release of the result of the investigation on the alleged pilferage of rice stocks at the office’s stockroom.
City Administrator Hernando Galvez ordered an inventory of the stockroom and office documents. He inspected the office yesterday and asked the Molo police station to conduct an investigation.
“Bangod binaluskay ang mga drawers, I instructed the CSWDO staff nga isa-isahon basi may mga papeles nga nadula,” said Galvez.
CSWDO is currently headed by an officer in charge, the office’s assistant department head Gene Garingalao.
Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog ordered additional security personnel at the CSWDO office.
Galvez refused to speculate on the break-in’s motive.
The ad hoc committee that Mabilog created had wrapped up its investigation and may bare its findings and recommendations this July.
The former CSWDO chief was among several people that the ad hoc committee investigated.
“We don’t want to second-guess the ad hoc committee’s findings,” said Galvez but he expressed confidence that Villanueva would continue to cooperate with the city government with regards to the investigation even if he’s already retired.
The committee’s findings and recommendations will be the bases of the city government’s next moves, said Galvez.
As its name suggests, CSWDO is the city government’s social welfare arm. But if claims on social media were to be believed, a motor vehicle of CSWDO was seen delivering sacks of rice to certain stores.
Two CSWDO employees – stockroom personnel Edwin Florendo and driver Jonathan Celiz – were relieved from their respective duties following the allegations in April. They denied pilfering CSWDO’s relief goods.
Villanueva had said the allegation surprised him, but he welcomed the investigation.
“Daw indi ko magpati,” he said, that CSWDO rice and other relief goods were being stolen./PN
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