MANILA – The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday warned government officials and employees against using fuel allocated for government vehicles in privately owned vehicles, saying violators could face severe administrative penalties.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla issued the warning amid rising fuel costs, stressing that the agency would not tolerate the misuse of government resources. s
Remulla cited the case of former Bohol Second District Provincial Board Member Vierna Mae Boniel-Maglasang, who was dismissed from government service after being found liable for two counts of serious dishonesty.
According to the Ombudsman, Boniel-Maglasang used a total of 100 liters of gasoline allocated for a government vehicle in 2024 for private vehicles.
Aside from dismissal, she was ordered perpetually disqualified from holding public office. Her eligibility was canceled, her retirement benefits forfeited, and she was barred from taking civil service examinations.
The Ombudsman said its 13-page decision found that using fuel for vehicles outside the authorized government fuel allocation system circumvented accounting and auditing rules.
Remulla warned that practices involving the diversion of government gasoline to private vehicles and falsification of receipts would not be ignored because they undermine public trust in government.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Bohol Third District Board Member Dionisio Joseph Balite.
