Sandigan affirms PCSO exec’s conviction

MANILA, Philippines — The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has affirmed the decision of the Quezon City court convicting a division chief of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) of malversation for pocketing lotto prizes amounting to P1.87 million.

In a March 5 decision released to the media yesterday, the court’s Fifth Division found no merit in the appeal of Angelica Fajardo, officer-in-charge of the PCSO Price Payment Division, questioning the Feb. 17, 2017 ruling of Regional Trial Court Branch 224 finding her guilty of malversation of public funds.

The Fifth Division, however, modified Fajardo’s jail sentence to six years to 10 years from 13 years to 19 years. citing her voluntary surrender when the case was filed in June 2011, as well as last year’s passage of Republic Act 10951 or the act amending the fines imposed under the Revised Penal Code.

The RTC originally sentenced Fajardo to serve 13 to 19 years in prison.

The Fifth Division upheld Fajardo’s perpetual disqualification from public service and the RTC’s order for her to pay a fine equivalent to the money she stole.

In affirming the QC court’s ruling, the Fifth Division maintained that the Office of the Ombudsman’s prosecution team was able to sufficiently establish that Fajardo failed to account for P1,877,450, which was part of the P3-million cash advance given to her by the PCSO Treasury Department for the payment of sweepstakes and lotto low-tier winning tickets as well as the Scratch-It winners.