Ex-Lucena mayor gets 8 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines — After being cleared of graft over the alleged illegal grant of a gaming franchise, a former mayor of Lucena in Quezon was sentenced to up to eight years in prison for another case.

In a 74-page decision promulgated on Oct. 20, the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division said Ramon Talaga Jr. was found guilty of graft for the anomalous award of a computerization project to an unqualified service provider.

Ofelia Garcia, former city government planning and development officer and technical evaluation committee chairperson, as well as budget officer Ester Mabita and assistant treasurer Mercedita Capulong, both bids and awards committee members, were meted the same prison term.

The anti-graft court also ordered the former officials’ perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Former city treasurer’s office employee Roderick Abella and private individuals Ma. Prances Pelobello, Dennis Peter Lopinac and Matias Soriano were acquitted for lack of evidence.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2010, the case stemmed from the award of a P36-million contract to Amellar Solutions in 2002 for the computerization of the city government’s revenue generation system.

The ombudsman said Talaga conspired with his co-accused and resorted to “selective or limited source procurement” instead of holding a public bidding in violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

Graft probers said the former officials “deliberately and unilaterally” changed the terms of reference of the project to qualify the software used by Amellar, giving the service provider unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference.

In a decision promulgated on Oct. 6, the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division acquitted Talaga in connection with the award of a bingo franchise to Jose Sy Bang Sr. in 2000.

The court said the prosecution failed to prove that the grant of the franchise was in exchange for the businessman’s support for Talaga during a recall election.