DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan — The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of Dagupan City Treasurer Romelita Fonseca Alcantara after finding her guilty of grave misconduct involving the payment of P999,750 for two wooden motorboats that were never delivered.
In its decision dated 19 October 2026, the Ombudsman found that Alcantara facilitated the full payment to the supplier despite the non-delivery of the boats.
Investigators established that she participated in preparing the disbursement voucher and check used to release the public funds.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by city sanitation inspector Bernard Cabison and General Services Officer Melchor Guiang, who alleged that their signatures had been forged on property acknowledgment and inspection documents to facilitate the payment.
According to the Ombudsman's findings, the transaction involved falsified public documents and the malversation of public funds.
Aside from dismissal, Alcantara faces the cancellation of her civil service eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office and a permanent ban on taking civil service examinations.
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