The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its guilty verdict against a former executive of the Oroquieta City Water District (OCWD) for multiple corruption charges related to the alleged illegal withdrawal of nearly P6 million in 2011.

This comes as the court found that the funds went directly into her bank account.

Former OCWD Board of Directors chairperson Evelyn Silagon had asked the Sandiganbayan to reconsider its decision from December of last year, which convicted her of four counts of graft, two counts of failure of an accountable officer to render accounts, and one count of violating Section 106 of the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines.

The court ruled that Silagon “actively participated” in the disbursement of P5,976,375.71 for disallowed cash advances, payments for organizational costs and consulting services, as well as lawyers’ fees that lacked valid supporting documents.

Reports said that the funds were purportedly intended for legal fees and other expenses related to the de-annexation of the OCWD, previously known as the Oroquieta Water System, from the Misamis Occidental Water District to expand water supply distribution.

The Ombudsman filed the case in 2017 against other OCWD executives.

State auditor Joselynn Canada testified that the OCWD’s board authorized the payments for organizational costs, cash advances, legal fees and consulting services, with a resolution authorizing the release of payment signed by Silagon herself.

The Sandiganbayan stressed that the transactions were illegal because the board’s function was limited to policy establishment and they were prohibited from involvement in the day-to-day management of the OCWD.

Also, the court pointed out that Silagon was not authorized to disburse OCWD funds by signing checks as she was not a permanent employee, was not properly bonded as required by law, and lacked proper authorization from the board.

Silagon was accused of directing the illegal payments of OCWD funds and being both the claimant and the payee in the disbursement vouchers and their corresponding checks. Investigators alleged that she deposited the checks into her personal bank account or those of her children.

“The money was either deposited in Silagon’s bank accounts or personally received by her. She was granted succeeding cash advances despite the non-liquidation of the previous ones. She did not even rebut the contents of the audit report,” the court’s decision read.