A Bohol board member has fired back at allegations of fuel misappropriation in a detailed counter-affidavit filed with the Office of the Ombudsman’s Visayas.
BM Vierna Mae “Mimi” Boniel‑Maglasang, a vocal critic of the current administration, denied serious charges of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty leveled by complainant Dionisio Joseph V. Balite, also a board member, who assumed the position following the death of his father, Vice Governor Victor Balite.
In the sworn affidavit, Boniel‑Maglasang, emphatically rejected the accusation that she used fuel for any purpose other than government‑approved activities.
“I unequivocally assert my innocence,” the affidavit states, adding that she has never operated any vehicle other than the government‑issued motor vehicle bearing plate number _ _ _.
The counter‑affidavit, dated Mar. 12, 2025, outlines in exhaustive detail the procedural safeguards in place during fuel transactions with the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGB).
According to Boniel‑Maglasang, every fuel withdrawal slip is verified by a PGB employee stationed at the supplier’s gasoline station—a measure designed to prevent discrepancies.
“If the motor vehicle does not match the vehicle in the fuel withdrawal slip, fueling will not be allowed,” she noted, stressing that the oversight mechanism ensures that fuel is dispensed solely for government purposes.
The affidavit comes in response to a complaint affidavit received on Mar. 5, 2025, which accused Boniel‑Maglasang of misusing fuel meant for official use.
According to the document, Boniel‑Maglasang denies any wrongdoing on all counts.
She specifically refutes allegations that she used fuel intended for private vehicles.
“I have only fueled my PGB‑issued vehicle, SKY 366, in strict accordance with the fuel withdrawal slip issued by the Provincial Government,” she stated.
Supporting her account, the affidavit references copies of receipts—attached as Exhibit “1”—which document transactions that took place on April 28, 2024, and May 5, 2024. On April 28, the records show 54 liters of V‑Power diesel purchased at P3,690.90, while on May 5, 60 liters were acquired for P4,003.20, with both charges being directly applied to the vehicle’s account designated VGO.
In a detailed breakdown of the procedural safeguards, the affidavit explains that a designated PGB General Services Office (GSO) employee is assigned to the gasoline station.
This employee’s responsibility is to verify not only the authenticity of the fuel withdrawal slip but also that the vehicle being fueled matches the slip.
“This procedure is based on the strict instructions of the PGB and is reinforced by my personal experience in fueling my government‑issued motor vehicle,” the affidavit asserts.
Boniel‑Maglasang contends that if any discrepancies arise during this verification process, the fueling process would be immediately halted.
The counter‑affidavit goes further to dissect the complainant’s case by questioning the evidentiary basis for alleging misappropriation.
Citing a Supreme Court decision in GR Nos. 243029‑30 (Tito S. Sarion vs. People of the Philippines, Mar. 18, 2021), she outlines the four elements required to establish malversation under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code. These elements include: (a) the offender’s status as a public officer; (b) custody or control of funds or property by virtue of office; (c) that the funds or property are public; and (d) that the funds or property were misappropriated or allowed to be taken due to negligence or abandonment.
Boniel‑Maglasang argues that even if the complainant’s allegations were accepted as true, the crucial element—government funds or property—remains unsubstantiated, as there is no documentary proof that the fuel was procured or paid for by the PGB.
Moreover, the affidavit points to a litany of other individuals who would also be implicated were the allegations to be valid.
Among those mentioned are the owner or principal of Cevic Trading Inc.—allegedly controlled by businessman Cesar C. Maluenda—the PGB employee Daryl Cristine J. Aranjuez, and even the complainant himself, Dionisio Joseph V. Balite.
In an intricate analysis, Boniel‑Maglasang argues that if fuel purchased from Cevic Trading Inc. had indeed been misused for private vehicles, then not only would the company be complicit, but so would the PGB’s General Services Officer and the head of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The affidavit accuses the complainant of failing to notify his own father, the former Vice Governor and then head of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, about discrepancies in the fuel certification process—a lapse that, if proven, could render Balite himself liable for malversation.
The respondent paints a picture of a system operating under clear, documented protocols.
“Every fuel withdrawal slip and the corresponding motor vehicle is checked by a PGB employee assigned at the gasoline station,” the affidavit reiterates.
According to Boniel‑Maglasang, this verification process ensures that there is no room for the kind of irregularities alleged by the complainant.
The affidavit further dismisses the claim that fuel withdrawal slips were misused on two consecutive days—April 28 and 29, 2024—arguing that it is highly unlikely for the Vice Governor to issue slips for the same vehicle on successive days unless done for personal or political gain.
In what may be the most damning portion of the affidavit, Boniel‑Maglasang alleges that the complaint filed by Balite is “a figment of his imagination” and is intended to politically harass her, given her stance as an opposition figure and critic of Governor Aris Aumentado.
She contends that Balite, who served as a legislative staff officer to his father—the late Vice Governor Dionisio Victor Balite—lacks the credibility and intellectual capacity to concoct such allegations.
“Dionisio Joseph V. Balite must be so imaginative to have invented this complaint,” she wrote, adding that his claims are not based on any factual evidence but are rather politically motivated.
The affidavit also takes an aim at the current fuel procurement practices of the PGB. It calls on the Ombudsman to launch an investigation into the province’s fuel purchases and usage, asserting that the practices under Governor Aumentado’s administration may be enabling the misuse of public funds.
“The false complaint of Dionisio Joseph V. Balite against me should give clues as to how the administration is using public funds to procure fuel for their private consumption,” the document states.
By linking the allegations to systemic issues, Boniel‑Maglasang raised issues about the internal controls within the PGB and the possibility that a lax monitoring system could be exploited for personal or political ends.
According to the counter‑affidavit, a critical element that negates the complainant’s case is the presence of a PGB GSO employee stationed at the fuel supplier’s gasoline station. This employee’s role, as described by the respondent, is to ensure that every fuel transaction adheres to the prescribed protocols. “It is not the gasoline attendant who verifies and checks the vehicle to be fueled,” Boniel‑Maglasang stressed.
PART-3
Instead, the designated employee is responsible for confirming that the vehicle on the fuel withdrawal slip is indeed the one receiving the fuel. If the verification fails at any point, the employee is required to halt the fueling process immediately.
The respondent’s affidavit also challenges the notion that fuel procured by the PGB has ever been used for unauthorized purposes.
She contends that not a single instance exists where a private vehicle was fueled with fuel meant for official use.
Instead, all transactions have followed the correct procedures. “Based on my personal knowledge and the standard operating procedures of the Provincial Government of Bohol, there is simply no room for the kind of abuse alleged in the complaint,” she asserted.
Adding further detail to her defense, Boniel‑Maglasang explains that the alleged fueling on two successive days is highly improbable.
She questions the rationale behind the issuance of fuel withdrawal slips for the same vehicle on consecutive days, suggesting that such an occurrence would be reserved solely for cases where the Vice Governor himself was involved.
That being said, she implies that the complaint is not only unfounded but also indicative of an attempt to manipulate and misuse fuel procurement processes for personal gain.
Despite the breadth of the allegations, Boniel‑Maglasang maintains that there is no evidence linking her to any wrongdoing.
She asserts that every step of her fueling process was properly documented and verified, and that the fuel receipts, which are attached to her affidavit, stand as concrete evidence of her adherence to official protocol.
In her final remarks, Boniel implored the Ombudsman to take a closer look at what she described as an “imaginative” complaint designed to tarnish her reputation and distract from potential irregularities in the fuel procurement process.
“The complaint is just a figment of the imagination of the complainant,” her affidavit declared, urging a comprehensive investigation into the practices that allow for fuel to be used for private consumption under the guise of government operations.