8 years? 12 years yata..
6 ex-education execs in Davao get 12 years for graft
August 6, 2008 6:58pm
MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former regional director of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (now DepEd) of graft in connection with the fraudulent purchase of construction materials for an elementary school building in 1991.
Facing a 12-year imprisonment sentence is Venancio R. Nava, former regional director of the DECS-Region XI (Davao).
Aside from Nava, also convicted by the anti-graft court on the same case were former DECS-Region XI Asst. Regional Director Susana B. Cabahug, Administrative Officer Aquilina B. Granada, Finance Officer Carlos B. Bautista, Administrative Officer Edilberto P. Madria, supply officer Felipe Pancho and private defendant Jesusa dela Cruz, president of private supplier Giomiche Inc.
The accused former education officials were also ordered to jointly reimburse DECS the sum of P512,967.69 corresponding to the overpricing in construction materials based on computations by government auditors.
The verdict was handed down last August 1.
The Sandiganbayan said there was sufficient evidence proving that there was no public bidding conducted for the construction project and the accused merely simulated the documents and the process to make it appear that procurement rules were observed.
“To make things worse, it was also indubitably established that… the accused overpriced the construction supplies and materials in the amount of P512,967.69 to the disadvantage and prejudice of the government,†the court noted.
During the trial, the defendants argued that the project was urgent and holding a public bidding would have caused long delays.
Likewise they claimed that while local suppliers offer ‘reasonable’ prices for construction materials, they cannot meet the required volume of supplies.
The anti-graft court, however, said the credibility of these claims was “doubtful,†saying the COA auditors who conducted the re-canvass were “public officers with special technical knowledge and trainings... (hence) must be accorded great weight in all aspects.â€
“The prosecution was able to prove, with testimonial and documentary evidence, taken individually and collectively, that unravel the chain of processes that show the involvement of all the accused in a scheme successfully maneuvered by the concerted efforts of these public officers led by accused Nava who was holding the highest position, to defraud the coffers of the government,†the court said. - GMANews.TV
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