Ex-Lanao mayor gets 10 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines — A former municipal mayor in Lanao del Norte has been sentenced to six to 10 years in prison for granting P11.8 million in cash advances to a municipal employee.

In a 32-page decision promulgated on March 12, the Sandiganbayan found former mayor Norlaine Limbona of Pantar town and former municipal accountant Paganaibae Macaumbos guilty of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Aside from prison terms, Limbona and Macaumbos were perpetually disqualified from the government service.

In the same ruling, the anti-graft court found the accused guilty of 20 counts of violation of Presidential Decree 1445 or the Government Auditing Code. They were ordered to pay P1,000 for each count of the offense or a total of P20,000 each.

The charges against former acting municipal treasurer Orac Racmat were ordered temporarily archived as authorities have yet to arrest the accused.

The case against Racmat will be revived once he is arrested, the court said.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2017, the cases stemmed from the grant of P11.84-million in cash advances to Racmat in 2008.

The ombudsman said Limbona and Macaumbos repeatedly approved Racmat’s requests despite him still having unsettled or unliquidated cash advances.

The law provides that a cash advance should be reported and liquidated as soon as the purpose for which it was given is served.

Aside from failing to observe the rule on timely liquidation, the anti-graft court said Limbona and Macaumbos turned a blind eye on several irregularities surrounding the release of funds.

The court gave weight to a report of the Commission on Audit, which said the cash advances were granted despite the non-compliance with the rules and regulations on cash advances and disbursements.