Sandiganbayan convicts Pichay of graft in ₱1.5-M chess tourney

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has convicted Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay of graft and breach of conduct in relation to the illegal ₱1.5-million Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) sponsorship of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) tournament in 2010.

Pichay, then LWUA administrator, was sentenced to imprisonment of six to 10 years, with perpetual disqualification from holding public office. Meanwhile, he was ordered to pay a fine of ₱5,000 because of his breach of conduct conviction.

Former LWUA acting deputy administrator for Investment and Financial Services Wilfredo M. Feleo and former senior deputy administrator Emmanuel Malicdem were also convicted of graft, together with Pichay.

“The accused in both cases are further held jointly and severally liable to reimburse the LWUA ₱1.5 million, representing the amount of unlawfully released sponsorship grant, plus interest thereon at six percent per annum reckoned from the finality of this decision until the said amount is fully paid,” the dispositive portion of the decision read.

Pichay, in his capacity as former Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) chief, violated Section 3(e) of RA 3019 and Section 7(a) of RA 6713 for giving unwarranted benefits and advantage to the NCFP in the amount of ₱1.5 million back in 2010.

He voted for the approval of the said amount for chess events, even though sponsoring of sporting events was not among LWUA's primary purposes.

Pichay, who was simultaneously NCFP's president at the time, even had the chess events named after him and held in his honor.

In its ruling, the anti-graft court cited that LWUA was established as a specialized lending institution for the promotion, development, and financing of local water utilities.

“Evidently, the extension of grants or donations to any sports association does not fall under its mandate,” the decision read.

The fact that Pichay and his co-accused disregarded this fact, despite being high-ranking officials, constitutes gross inexcusable negligence.

The 31-page decision was written by Associate Justice Maryann Corpus-Mañalac with the concurrence of Fifth Division Chairperson Rafael Lagos and Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Mendoza-Arcega.