2 DA execs in Zamboanga get 8 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has convicted two former officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office in Zamboanga City over the procurement of overpriced liquid fertilizers in 2004.

In a 56-page decision dated Dec. 2 and released on Friday, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division convicted former DA regional executive director Oscar Parawan and chief accountant Ma. Perlice Julian of graft and sentenced them to serve a minimum of six years and one month to a maximum of eight years in prison.

They were also perpetually disqualified from holding public office, while their retirement benefits were forfeited.

Their co-accused Maribel Abdulbari – former cashier at the regional office – was acquitted due to the prosecution’s failure to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The case stemmed from the procurement of liquid fertilizers worth P5 million under the government’s Farm Inputs/Implements Program for the first district of Zamboanga del Sur.

Each bottle of fertilizer cost P800, significantly higher than the prevailing market price of P190.

Prosecutors maintained that the transaction caused the government undue injury of around P3.812 million.

Also charged in the case was former Zamboanga del Sur congressman Isidro Real Jr., who entered into a memorandum of agreement with the DA regional office and the Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc. (MAMFI) for the implementation of the project.