Ex-Catanduanes town execs convicted of graft

MANILA, Philippines — Former mayor Jose Torres of Viga, Catanduanes and former vice mayor Yolanda Tuquero have been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison over the purchase of a heavy equipment in 2005 without public bidding.

In a 48-page decision promulgated on Oct. 9, the anti-graft court’s third division found Torres, Tuquero and eight other former municipal government officials guilty of violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Former town councilors Lourdes del Rosario, Asuncion Odi, Rosario Mollasgo, Horacio Aquino Jr., Domingo Villanueva, Orbel Tonio, William Tuplano and Gomercindo Litong were meted the same prison term aside from perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

The case filed against former councilor Nerissa Usero was archived as she remains at-large. The court instead issued an arrest warrant.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2017, the case stemmed from the municipal government’s procurement of a backhoe loader worth P13.9 million from Compressed Air Machineries Equipment Corp. (CAMEC).

“From the evidence presented, no public bidding was held. There was no budget for the procurement of the backhoe and the SB (Sangguniang Bayan) members gave authority to Torres to take out a loan to fund the purchase of the backhoe from CAMEC,” the court ruling read.

“All the accused jointly expedited an irregular and illegal procurement of a backhoe loader with undue preference for CAMEC as supplier with no valid justification whatsoever,” it added.