Wife of ‘narco-general’ Vicente Loot charged with graft

Former Daanbantayan, Cebu Mayor Maria Luisa Loot has been charged with graft over the anomalous P500,000 loan given by the local government for one of its livelihood programs in February 2003.

In the case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan, then Mayor Loot was accused of conspiring with and misappropriating the funds to co-accused Samuel Moralde, who was identified as the chairman of RBA Quail Raisers Association.

The loan was granted to RBA Quail Raisers Association to finance its quail egg farming operation as part of the local government's programs. The Ombudsman's Office of the Special Prosecutor, however, said the organization was not accredited.

Prosecutors accused Loot of failing to monitor the organization's quail farming operations and neglecting to ensure the proper utilization of the public funds, which were among her duties under the execution of the memorandum of agreement.

Furthermore, Loot allegedly failed to pay back the loan and submit evidence showing that the public funds were used for its intended purpose.

The complaint penned by Assistant Special Prosecutor III Jorge Espinal recommended Loot and Moralde's bail at P40,000.

Maria Luisa is the wife of retired Police Chief Superintendent and former Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot.

According to his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), Vicente Loot was the wealthiest among the five-star police officials that President Rodrigo Duterte said were involved in the illegal drug trade in the country.

The couple consistently topped the list of wealthiest local officials in Cebu.

After the President accused the so-called "narco-generals" of protecting drug lords in 2016, Maria Luisa had denied that their wealth was obtained through her husband's involvement in drugs, claiming their wealth came from their businesses. — MDM, GMA News