Sandiganbayan convicts Ex-Nueva Ecija mayor of graft

MANILA, Philippines – The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has convicted former mayor Lucio Uera of Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, of graft for approving an P1.11-million ($23,740) contract with a company affiliated with his wife.

The court found Uera guilty of violating Section 3(h) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Office of the Ombudsman said in a statement on Wednesday, October 27.

Uera was sentenced to a prison term ranging from 6 years and one month, to 10 years, with perpetual disqualification to hold public office.

The Ombudsman said its prosecutors established that in March 2002, Uera entered into a service contract with Priva Power and Allied Services (Priva) for the management of the Pantabangan Municipal Electric System.  

Priva was paid a total of P1.11 million for its services.

During the trial, the prosecutors proved that Uera had direct pecuniary benefit from the agreement since his wife is an incorporator, stockholder and director of Priva, as certified to by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“This Court lends more weight to the certification of the SEC that Mrs Ruby Uera is an incorporator, director and subscriber of P10,000 worth of capital stock of Priva Power. Therefore, because Mrs Ruby Uera is an incorporator, stockholder and director of the said corporation, his husband, accused Uera, has a direct interest in Priva Power,” Justice Samuel Martires said in his 19-page ponencia.

The Sandiganbayan also noted that “without being the Mayor, and acting in such capacity, the accused could not have facilitated the contract with Priva Power.”

“And because the accused had a direct interest in the latter, it is therefore very evident that he had intervened in the act or agreement in an official capacity,” the anti-graft court added. 

Under Section 3(h) of RA 3019, public officers are prohibited from “directly or indirectly having financial or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity, or in which he is prohibited by the Constitution or by any law from having any interest.” – Rappler.com

$1 = P46.73