NABCOR officials’ conviction imminent
The two defendants were found guilty of two counts of violation of the Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the malversation of public funds
Daily TribuneThe two defendants were found guilty of two counts of violation of the Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the malversation of public funds
Two former officials of the now-defunct National Agribusiness Corporation failed to reverse the Sandiganbayan's September decision convicting them over two counts of graft and two counts of malversation of public funds in connection with the Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations of former Eastern Samar Representative Teodulo Coquilla.
The Sandiganbayan Third Division denied a separate motion for reconsideration filed by ex-human resources manager Encarnita-Cristina Munsod and ex-general services unit head Romulo Relevo of NABCOR, seeking a reversal of the court's decision dated 2 September 2022, in a 12-page decision promulgated over the weekend.
The two defendants were found guilty of two counts of violation of the Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the malversation of public funds.
Founding them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, Munsod and Relevo — alongside private respondent Margie Tajon-Luz, then president of the GabayMasa Development Foundation Inc. — are sentenced to 24 to 40 years of imprisonment.
Their retirement benefits are forfeited, and they are permanently barred from holding any public office.
According to the September verdict of the anti-graft court, they "willingly" conspired with Coquilla to embezzle funds by launching a fictitious and non-existent livelihood project.
On top of the conviction, the anti-graft court also fined Munsod, Relevo and Luz a combined P4.85 million, with annual interest of six percent.
"In finding that conspiracy exists, the Court found that the accused committed their respective overt acts in order to accomplish the ultimate objective — to embezzle the PDAF-drawn funds through the implementation of a fictitious and non-existent livelihood project," the decision penned by Third Division Associate Justice Ronald Moreno read.
Cases against Coquilla were dropped after his untimely death on 28 April 2018, prior to his arraignment. He had been identified as a defendant in a 2017 lawsuit filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The court has issued arrest warrants for former NABCOR president Alan Javellana and chief accountant Ma. Julie Villaralvo-Johnson, and GabayMasa officer Ma. Cristina Vizcarra who were charged in all four cases.
