Sandigan convicts former TLRC officials
Graft probers said the TLRC officials gave unwarranted benefits to Ronquillo by processing and approving the disbursement vouchers for the release of P9.8 million, notwithstanding the AFPI’s ineligibility to undertake the project.
The Sandiganbayan revealed on Friday that its Sixth Division has found guilty three former officials of the nowdefunct Technology and Livelihood Resource Center and sentenced them to up to 26 years in prison for playing a key role in the misuse of P9.8-million pork barrel funds of ex-Laguna lawmaker Danton Bueser in 2007.
In a 107-page decision, the Sixth Division found former TLRC deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, chief accountant Marivic Jover, and group manager Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana guilty of one count each of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or RA 3019 and malversation of public funds under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.
Each of the convicted was ordered to pay a P9.8-million fine and refund the same to the Bureau of Treasury.
On top of the penalties, the Sandiganbayan also ordered their perpetual disqualification from holding public office and the forfeiture of all their retirement and gratuity benefits under existing laws.
Meantime, charges filed against their co-accused — TLRC director general Antonio Ortiz — were ordered archived as he remains at large, while the raps against Alfredo Ronquillo, president of AARON Foundation Philippines Inc. were dismissed owing to his death in January 2009.
The Ombudsman indicted the former TLRC officials in 2020 for having a hand in the irregular allocation of Bueser’s P9.8-million Priority Development Assistance Fund to AFPI as project implementor of the lawmaker’s livelihood projects for his district in Laguna in 2007.
Graft probers said the TLRC officials gave unwarranted benefits to Ronquillo by processing and approving the disbursement vouchers for the release of P9.8-million, notwithstanding the AFPI’s ineligibility to undertake the project.
Court records later revealed that the projects turned out to be ghost or non-existent.
In convicting Cunanan, Jover and Lacsamana, the Sandiganbayan ruled that they indeed conspired with one another in releasing Bueser’s P9.8-million pork barrel in favor of AFPI, causing undue injury to the government.
“AFPI was handpicked by Rep. Bueser to implement his PDA-funded livelihood projects in his congressional district. Sadly, the three enables abetted the embezzlement by certifying perfunctorily the requisite DV while giving scant consideration to statutory checks,” the Sandiganbayan said.
Bueser, the principal accused in the case filed by the Special PDAF Investigation Team before the Ombudsman in 2016, escaped criminal liability after the latter granted his motion to dismiss in November 2017.