Ex- Nueva Ecija mayor gets 10 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former mayor of Nueva Vizcaya to 10 years in prison for awarding construction projects to a company where he was also an incorporator and stockholder.

In a 60-page decision, the Sandiganbayan Third Division also meted former Alfonso Castaneda town mayor Alfredo Castillo Jr. with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

“It is undeniable that Castillo as then chairman of the PBAC (pre-qualification bids and awards committee)... awarded the contracts for the construction of a gymnasium and the Lublub-Dibilit Road to Lotus Designs where he was a registered incorporator and stockholder,” the ruling of the anti-graft court stated.

“He had direct financial interest in the contract that he approved as mayor and chairperson of the municipality’s PBAC,” it said.

The anti-graft court said bidding documents were prepared and submitted to make it appear that the contract complied with the laws and rules on government procurement.

“Documentary and testimonial evidence indubitably established that no public biddings were conducted,” the court said.

Castillo’s co-accused, former councilor Andres Camania, was sentenced to a maximum of eight years in prison.