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The Sandiganbayan convicts an ex-lawmaker and 2 NGO officials for misappropriating P2.1 million in pork barrel funds, sentencing them to jail and fines for graft and malversation
MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan convicted a former lawmaker from Misamis Occidental and two officials of a non-government organization (NGO) of multiple criminal charges because of misappropriating in 2013 the congressman’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel funds.
The Sandiganbayan Second Division found ex-Misamis Occidental Representative Loreto Leo Ocampos and two officers of Rich Islas de Filipinas Foundation Inc. (RIDFFI) – Josefina Candole and Jamie Ann Linsangan – guilty of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019), malversation of public funds, and falsification by a public officer.
National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Mehol Sadain and director for finance Galay Makalinggan were also indicted. Sadain, however, was acquitted on insufficiency of evidence to show his participation. Meanwhile, the cases against Makalinggan were dismissed because of his death in July 2021.
Sandiganbayan Second Division Associate Justice Edgardo M. Cadona penned the 31-page decision promulgated on June 10. It was concurred by Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith A. Econg and Associate Justice Arthur O. Malabaguio.
Ocampos, Candole and Linsangan were sentenced to jail terms of six to ten years for the graft case with perpetual disqualification from holding public office and civil liability in the sum of P2.1 million payable to the Bureau of Treasury; four to ten years for malversation with a P2.1 million fine; and two to eight years for falsification with a P5,000 fine each.
The cases were filed in 2022 by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The prosecution said the PDAF of Ocampos was released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the NCMF, which was then transferred the money to RIDFFI in February 2013.
According to the prosecutors RIDFFI was an unqualified and bogus NGO. It added that after receiving the P2.1 million PDAF allocation of Ocampos, it failed to implement the anti-poverty projects assigned to it.
Ocampos though deceptively issued a Certificate of Completion attesting that the RDFFI accomplished its obligations in the memorandum of agreement.
The NGO submitted documents to validate its handing out 350 business starter kits for raising native chickens to Ocampos’ constituents.
However, the field investigation office of the Ombudsman and state auditors secured sworn statements from the so-called beneficiaries who all said that they never received any chicken and neither did they participate in any hands-on training and entrepreneurship seminars.
“The manner by which the entire undertaking has been consummated undeniably shows a well-designed scheme involving the three accused to project a legitimate transaction that would serve as a cover-up to facilitate or achieve their common ultimate goal of siphoning public funds for their personal benefit,” said the Sandiganbayan in its decision.
The anti-graft court also said that the evidence showed that the PDAF-funded project never materialized and the documents submitted by the accused attesting to its completion were all bogus. – Rappler.com
