Sandiganbayan finds Pichay, 2 others guilty of graft in chess event sponsorship

THE Sandiganbayan Fifth Division found former Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Board acting chairman Prospero Pichay Jr. and two other officials guilty of graft over a P1.5-million sponsorship of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) tournament in 2010.

Pichay, former LWUA acting deputy administrator for investment and financial services Wilfredo Feleo and former senior deputy administrator Emmanuel Malicdem were also found “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” in violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The former officials were sentenced with imprisonment for a minimum of six years and one month and a maximum of eight years. They were also penalized with perpetual disqualification to hold public office.

The accused were also ordered to reimburse the P1.5- million sponsorship with a 6 percent per annum interest to the LWUA.

Meanwhile, Pichay was also found guilty of violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and was sentenced to pay a fine of P5,000.

In a 31-page decision released on Friday, the court said it found that “the accused acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith, or gross inexcusable negligence in the recommendation and approval” and gave “unwarranted benefit and advantage to the NCFP” for granting the sponsorship despite an LWUA Memorandum directing the suspension of all sports and cultural expenditures and an Administrative Order directing the suspension of grants or donations.

LWUA is a government-owned and -controlled corporation. Pichay was also chairman of the NCFP that hosted the “Chairman Prospero Pichay Jr. Cup International Chess Championship” in August 2010.

Pichay told The Manila Times in a phone interview that he respects the court decision but would be filing a motion for reconsideration “because I cannot really accept that I benefited from that.” He said he had also sponsored P1 million for the tournament.