2 days Ago By Rappler.com
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rapplerAds.displayAd( "mobile-middle-1" );MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has found Albay Governor Edcel Greco “Grex” Lagman guilty of grave misconduct and ordered his dismissal from government service in relation to his alleged Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Dante Vargas signed the dismissal order dated April 10, as officer-in-charge as Ombudsman Samuel Martires was on official leave at the time.A special panel of investigators led by Bonifacio Mandrilla, Preliminary Investigation and Administrative Adjudication Bureau A (PIAB-A) director, recommended Lagman’s dismissal.
The members of the team are Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officers (GIPO) Lucielo Ramirez Jr. and Sylvester Alcazar.In recommending Lagman’s dismissal, the investigators cited bank deposit slips which supposedly showed that the governor got over P8 million in cash as payola or bribe from illegal gambling operators in Albay.
“The 60 BDO bank deposit slips, together with the initial accusatory affidavits of complainants and his witnesses show that respondent received payolas or protection money from jueteng operations totaling P8,100,000 from August 2019 to June 2022,” the Ombudsman said in its 15-page decision.Based on case records, Lagman supposedly started receiving payola when he was vice governor. The payment was reportedly made “in anticipation of a protection for the operation of jueteng.
” The investigating team said that the evidence supports an indictment of indirect bribery, citing the elements present in the case – Lagman is a public officer, he accepted gifts or benefits, and the latter were given to him because of the office he held.The investigators also said that based on the evidence, Lagman was a “coddler and protector” of jueteng in violation of Republic Act No. 9287, which increased the penalties for illegal numbers games in the country.
They also said that the governor was not able to adequately rebut the deposit transactions. “On the contrary, respondent even admitted that the subject BDO account to which the amounts were deposited belongs to him; further, there was never an explanation from respondent on the source and purpose of these deposits.Former barangay chairman Alwin Nimo of Anislag, Daraga, Albay, a self-confessed jueteng bagman, filed the complaint against Lagman on February 13, 2024.
Nimo had claimed that he was the one who had connected Lagman to illegal gambling operators and that he initially delivered a weekly payola of P60,000 to the respondent.Nimo said concern for his personal security prompted him to divulge his involvement in jueteng, after Lagman denied accepting cash delivery from illegal gambling operators. window.
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displayAd( "mobile-middle-2" );Lagman had earlier denied the allegation and claimed that his political enemies were behind the complaint. Lagman was reelected vice governor in the 2022 elections but became governor after the winner in Albay’s gubernatorial race, Noel Rosal, was disqualified for violation of an election rule on public spending while he was serving as mayor of Legazpi City.Lagman had filed his certificate of candidacy for governor in October 2024 but later withdrew to support the gubernatorial bid of Rosal.
The Commission on Elections had disqualified Rosal from the Albay gubernatorial race but he was able to secure a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court. – Rappler.com—.
