Bukidnon vice governor convicted of graft

Bukidnon Vice Gov. Rogelio Quiño has been convicted of graft and is facing up to eight years in prison.

In a 45-page decision promulgated on Oct. 25, the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division said Quiño was found guilty of violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for increasing the salary of his brother, who was hired as a casual employee of Manolo Fortich municipal government under the Economic Enterprise Division when the vice governor was mayor.

Section 3 (e) of RA 3019 prohibits public officials from giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to a private party or from causing any party, including the government, undue injury.

Quiño was also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2016, the case stemmed from Quiño’s approval of the increase in the salary grade of his brother Antonio by seven levels or from SG 11 to 18 from 2008 to 2012 without approval of the Sangguniang Bayan.

The ombudsman said Antonio’s daily wage increased from P474.09 when he was hired as municipal shop foreman in June 2008 to P591.86 from July to December 2008, P731.50 from January 2009 to December 2010, P838.22 from January 2011 to April 2012 and P1,157.90 from March to October 2012.

Graft probers said the increases caused the government “undue injury” totalling P234,113.83.

The sixth division said Quiño also violated the Local Government Code when he approved the increases even though the municipal council fixed the salary of a mechanical shop foreman to SG 11.

“The Sangguniang Bayan of Manolo Fortich enacted ordinances... setting the compensation of a mechanical shop foreman as SG 11...The ordinances were never repealed, amended or revoked,” the court said.

The anti-graft court found no merit in Quiño’s defense that no preferential treatment or unwarranted benefit was extended to his brother.

Quiño argued that the salaries of two other casual employees were increased “to be commensurate with the level of difficulty of their respective jobs.”

However, the court said the increase showed unwarranted benefit was also given to the two other employees “further proving” Quiño’s liability.

The court cleared Antonio and former municipal budget officer Cecilia Rejas of the charges, saying the prosecution failed to prove they conspired with Quiño.

The court said Rejas’ certification of an appropriation for the hiring of casual employees was part of her job as a budget officer.

The court said it was not established that Antonio had prior knowledge of any plan to increase his salary grade.

“Other than the fact that mayor Quiño and Antonio are siblings, no further proof was shown by the prosecution to prove conspiracy,” the court said.