AN ex-Maguindanao province governor was found guilty of graft and malversation of public funds amounting to P393 million by the Philippines’ anti-graft court.
In a 66-page decision promulgated on Oct. 18, the Sandiganbayan Third Division convicted the former Maguindanao governor of graft for disbursing P393 million worth of cash advances to bogus contractors meant for the construction of 22 farm-to-market roads throughout the province in 2009.
“[The accused] committed the offense charged when he approved the numerous disbursement vouchers, entered into MOAs (Memorandum of Agreements), signed other pertinent documents, and made payments to fictitious suppliers and contractors, making it appear the Province of Maguindanao actually implemented the subject… projects, when in fact it did not,” the ruling, penned by Associate Justice Bernelito R. Fernandez, read in part.
“The pieces of evidence clearly show [the former official] deliberately orchestrated fictitious payments to various contractors and suppliers for the infrastructure projects which were not implemented,” the ruling added.
The anti-graft court sentenced the former governor to imprisonment of up to 40 years and was ordered to pay back the P393 million to the Bureau of the Treasury. He was also perpetually disqualified from holding any public office.
State lawyers initially sought to recover P400 million from the former official, but the court ruled that only P393 million was eligible as the remaining P7 million was transferred to the Agrarian Reform department, excluding it from the audit.
The Sandiganbayan, in the same decision, acquitted a government auditor alleged to be in cahoots with the former provincial government, citing lack of evidence against him. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio
