Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro. 鈥擣ile photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Marikina Mayor Marcelino 鈥淢arcy鈥� Teodoro and five others are facing criminal and administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman over alleged irregularities in the procurement of various materials for the local government from 2018 to 2021.
The complaint was filed by Rico Mariano, the sole proprietor of Masie Enterprise, which deals in office and school supplies.
Mariano also lodged criminal and administrative complaints against the mayor鈥檚 wife, Marikina 1st District Rep. Marjorie Ann Teodoro, Barangay Santa Elena officer Marie Joy San Juan, city accountant Erlinda Gonzales, and acting city treasurers Miguel Rebanal and Florencia Gamad.
The six public officials are facing complaints for alleged violation of Section 3, paragraph (e) and (h) of the Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as well as Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code 鈥渇or intentionally and willfully diverting LGU Marikina鈥檚 funds earmarked for material procurement into their own pockets.鈥�
In the complaint filed last January 23 but released to the media only on Monday, Mariano also claimed that the six committed grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
According to the complainant, he was tapped as an 鈥渆xclusive鈥� supplier for Mayor Teodoro鈥檚 camp for goods and supplies needed in his city in 2017.
READ: Marikina mayor, three others face technical malversation rap
鈥淗owever, far from what I imagined my dealings would be with LGU Marikina where I would supply good, it turned out to be an arrangement where I or Maisie would be a mere 鈥榝ront鈥� for respondent Joy (San Juan) and everyone else involved,鈥� Mariano said in his complaint.
鈥淚 was used by respondents Joy and Marcy as a mere conduit for them to siphon funds out of the coffers of LGU Marikina and deliver these funds directly into their hands. I was used by respondents Joy (San Juan) and Marcy to perpetuate their grand scheme,鈥� he further narrated.
Based on the complaint, Mariano said he mainly coordinated with San Juan regarding the procurement process. They mainly transacted via text message or online as presented in the document.
Mariano claimed, however, that he was never given a list of materials or asked to bring any documents or an ID, adding that the Marikina General Services Office (GSO) only instructed him to sign a purchase order.
鈥淎t other times, I would be completely excluded from the signing of the purchase order itself. I would just learn about the transaction when I get advice from responded Joy that the check is ready for pick up,鈥� he said.
鈥淭his led me to believe that either the GSO or any actor instructed by the respondents was forging my signature on the purchase order,鈥� he added.
In 2020, Mariano disclosed that he was instructed by San Juan to issue manager鈥檚 checks 鈥渋n favor of鈥� Rep. Teodoro instead of encashing the entire proceeds of the checks he received from the local government.
On going through his bank statements, Mariano said he found that six manager鈥檚 checks were issued to Rep. Mariano amounting to P9.583 million from May 8, 2020, to January 22, 2021 alone.
鈥淥n this point, it bears emphasizing that a perusal of the records would show that through the positions of respondents Marcy and Joy as Mayor and City Councilor, respectively, respondents Joy, Marcy and Maan were able to benefit from the transactions of the LGU Marikina, with respondent Maan directly named as payee for the manager鈥檚 checks that I requested upon instructions of respondent Joy,鈥� the complainant claimed.
黑料社 reached out to Mayor Teodoro鈥檚 camp through Viber and text messages, but he has not replied as of posting time.