MANILA, Philippines – Janet Napoles, who was at the center of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) corruption scandal, has been meted an over 100-year sentence in several cases decided by the anti-graft court, Sandiganbayan.

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Edgardo Caldona and made public on Friday, October 20, the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division made the following rulings in PDAF-related cases:

• For cases SB-16-CRM-0245 to 0256: Napoles and Evelyn de Leon were found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of three counts of violation of section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and were sentenced to up to 10 years’ imprisonment for each count, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They were also ordered to indemnify or pay the government the sum of P18 million representing the amount of money illegally disbursed.
• For case SB-16-CRM-0257: Napoles, Rhodora Mendoza, Maria Ninez Guanizo, and Victor Roman Cacal were found guilty for violation of RA No. 3019 and were sentenced to up to 10 years’ imprisonment, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They were also ordered to pay P2,910,000.
• For case SB-16-CRM-0258: Napoles and De Leon were found guilty of malversation of public funds under article 217 of the Revised Penal Code and were sentenced to up to 12 years and one day in prison, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They were ordered to pay P4.8 million.
• For case SB-16-CRM-0259: Napoles and De Leon were found guilty of malversation of public funds and were sentenced to up to 18 years, eight months, and one day imprisonment, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They were ordered to pay P9.6 million.
• For case SB-16-CRM-0260: Napoles and De Leon were found guilty of malversation of public funds and were sentenced to up to 16 years, five months, and 11 days’ imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They were ordered to pay P3.6 million.
• For case SB-16-CRM-0261: Napoles, Mendoza, Guanizo, and Cacal were found guilty of malversation of public funds and were sentenced to up to 16 years, five months, and 11 days’ imprisonment, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They were ordered to pay P2,910,000.

In total, Napoles was sentenced to 103 years, 6 months, 24 days’ imprisonment just for this set of cases related to the PDAF scam. She was also ordered to pay a total of P241,820,000 for all the cases.

However, former South Cotabato 2nd District representative Arthur Pingoy, who was involved in the case, was cleared in the cases. Pingoy and former Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary Mario Relampagos were acquitted after the prosecution failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Just like in other cases, the charges against Pingoy stemmed from allegations that he allegedly received kickbacks from Napoles’ ghost nongovernmental organizations. However, the evidence presented was not sufficient in proving Pingoy’s guilt, according to the Sandiganbayan.

“The prosecution evidence has failed to engender moral certainty that Pingoy has committed the crime of direct bribery. There is no sufficient evidence that Pingoy received kickbacks from Napoles through [Zenaida Cruz] Ducut,” the decision read.

Napoles is currently detained at the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City after her convictions in multiple cases involving the PDAF scam. She was also convicted for detaining her former employee and whistleblower Benhur Luy. – Rappler.com