Ex-Isabela mayor, accountant guilty of graft over road project

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – A former mayor in Isabela province was convicted of graft by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan over the allegedly anomalous awarding of contract for a road concreting project in 2008.

The Sandiganbayan’s Special Third Division found former mayor Manuel Tio of Luna, Isabela guilty of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Also convicted was former municipal accountant Lolita Cadiz. Both will serve up to 8 years of imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

In a 30-page ruling penned by Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez and concurred in by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Samuel Martires, the anti-graft court said Tio gave an “unwarranted benefit” to Double A Gravel and Sand by not conducting a public bidding for the concreting project worth P2.5 million.

“In fine, the court finds that accused Tio acted with manifest partiality in awarding the supply contract to Double A [Gravel and Sand] without the requisite public bidding, thereby giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to Double A,” the decision read.

The Sandiganbayan also said Tio and Cadiz acted with “gross inexcusable negligence” in causing the payment of P2.5 million to Double A despite incomplete supporting documents.

During the hearings, Tio argued that they did not conduct a public bidding because they relied on a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the town and the Isabela provincial government, which stated that the provincial government would provide P5 million for the road’s construction while the town would implement the road concreting project.

But the court said in part that the arrangement under the MOA does not forego public bidding in the procurement of the materials and supplies. – Rappler.com