3 ex-mayors convicted of graft, malversation

The Sandiganbayan had recently convicted three former town mayors of graft and malversation for allegedly mishandling government funds. Found guilty were Tony Dupiano, former mayor of Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya (three counts of graft); Warlino Relova of Bacolod, Lanao del Norte, (two counts); and Zenaida P. Maamo of Lilo-an, Southern Leyte, (one count of malversation of public funds thru falsification of public documents). The anti-graft court handed down the verdict last June 16. Dupiano was sentenced to six years imprisonment for each graft case, or a total of 18 years, for faking a repair of his privately-owned SUV by making it appear that it was a government vehicle that underwent bodywork worth P27,055 in January 1999; for authorizing the disbursement of P152,949.19 as payment for ghost deliveries of construction supplies in June 1999; and for diverting three truckloads of gravel and sand to his own house even if the items were paid with government funds. Also convicted of one count of graft and meted a six-year jail term were former municipal accountant Angeline S. Tulas, SPO2 Bernabe Flores Jr., and driver Danny Lencio for conspiring with Dupiano in defrauding the government; and Lunes L. Latabeng for falsely certifying that there was actual delivery of construction materials to a water supply project of the municipality. Associate Justice Rafael R. Lagos penned the decision with the concurrence of Associate Justices Rodolfo A. Ponferrada and Efren N. de la Cruz, division chairman. Relova, meanwhile, was sentenced to 12 to 20 years in prison on two graft convictions for causing injury to the municipal government of Bacolod, Lanao del Norte in the total amount of P153,799.90. Also sentenced was former municipal treasurer Saturnino L. Burgos. The Sandiganbayan said both the accused were found guilty for overpaying a contractor P126,477.90 for the Spring Development Project based on the report of an audit team that the work accomplishment was grossly overstated. The court also held both defendants liable for releasing payment amounting to P27,322 for a non-existent water project. Maamo, on the other hand, was sentenced to six to 12 years imprisonment along with former assistant municipal treasurer Juliet O. Silor in connection with alleged collection of salaries of a number of workers from July 1997 to March 1998 who all turned out to be ghost employees. The two defendants were fined P5,000 and ordered to reimburse the municipality the sum of P4,220 equivalent to the total salaries they collected. The court, however, junked eight counts of graft filed against them relative to the same offense. Presiding Justice and Second Division chairman Edilberto G. Sandoval wrote the verdicts against Relova and Maamo, with Associate Justices Teresita V. Diaz-Baldos and Samuel R. Martires concurring. — KBK, GMA News