Sandigan asked to uphold conviction of former Pasay City mayor, solon

State prosecutors have asked the Sandiganbayan First Division to uphold the graft conviction of former Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao “Peewee” Trinidad and former Pasay Representative Jose Antonio Roxas for unlawfully favoring a contractor in the construction in 2004 of the 500 million Pasay City Mall.

In their opposition filed before the anti-graft court, prosecutors asked the tribunal to deny for lack of merit the consolidated motion for reconsideration that was filed by Trinidad and Roxas who were both convicted of violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 (the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Article 237 (prolonging duties and powers) of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

Trinidad and Roxas filed a motion for reconsideration that sought the reversal of the court’s findings. Roxas also sought for a re-trial as an alternative.

The First Division issued a November, 2015 decision that sentenced the two to imprisonment ranging from six to 10 years for graft and another jail term of up to one year for violating Article 237 of the RPC.

The case stemmed in the questionable awarding in February 4, 2004 of the 489.950-million project to Izumo Contractors Inc. headed by businessman Cedric Lee for the construction of the Pasay City Mall and Public Market.

The tribunal ruled that Trinidad and Roxas, who, respectively, served as chairman and member then of the PreQualification Bids and Awards Committee, had no power to conduct a bidding and to award the contract since a new Bids and Awards Committee was formed on December 29, 2003 in consonance with the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act).