Slap on wrist: Court orders ex-Iloilo congressman Syjuco, director to pay P17,000 each

MANILA, Philippines – Following their guilty pleas, ex-Iloilo congressman Augusto Syjuco Jr and former agriculture Western Visayas regional director Eduardo Lecciones were convicted by the Sandiganbayan of fraud in relation to a P4.3-million cash grant. 

The anti-graft court ordered them to pay P17,000 each.

In particular, both were found guilty of “frauds against public treasury;” “failure of an accountable officer to render account;” and having a “prohibited pecuniary interest in a transaction involving their office.” Broken down, that’s P10,000 for the first offense; P1,000 for the second offense; and P6,000 for the last one. 

Syjuco favored his own non-governmental organization as a conduit in a cash grant that was approved by the Department of Agriculture, through Lecciones, in 2000. Syjuco, who also served as director-general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, was then representative of Iloilo. 

The two pleaded guilty instead of waiting for the trial of graft and malversation cases lodged against them.

In February 2016, then-Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said the actions of the respondents reveal “torrid signs of a criminal activity contrived clandestinely,” and that Syjuco used the Tagipusuon Foundation and Ilonggo Chickboy Corporation “in bilking out public money from the treasury.”

Lecciones and Syjuco filed their separate plea bargains in February 2019, in which they withdrew their previous not-guilty pleas in exchange for lesser charges. 

“In addition to the spontaneous, open court admission of liability by both accused, the evidence, both testimonial and documentary, already presented by the prosecution as well as the documents which are part of the records of these cases supports the plea of guilty and establishes the guilt beyond reasonable doubt of both accuse,” the Sandiganbayan said.

According to the anti-graft court, the Commission on Audit has certified that the NGO in question has already made full liquidation of the government money, removing the need to determine civil liability. – Rappler.com