Ex-DPWH clerk gets 25 years

Over ghost car repairs

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former clerk of the Department of Public Works and Highways to up to 25 years in prison over the alleged ghost repairs of the DPWH’s service vehicles from 1999 to 2001.

In a decision promulgated on Oct. 25, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division acknowledged former DPWH Clerk III Edgar Agbunag’s admission of guilt for 20 counts of violation of Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and another 20 counts of estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code.

For violation of RA 6713, the Seventh Division sentenced Agbunag to one year in prison for each count of the offense, with the accessory penalty of disqualification from holding public office.

For estafa, Agbunag was sentenced to five years in prison.

“The preventive imprisonment already undertaken by Agbunag should be credited to the service of his sentence,” the court said.

He was also ordered to pay the DPWH P495,500 in civil damages.

Agbunag was among several former DPWH officials charged by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan in 2013 in connection with the alleged ghost repairs of the agency’s service vehicles along with the fictitious procurement of motor spare parts.

Ombudsman probers said 4,406 checks amounting to P82.322 million were issued by the DPWH as payment for the supposed repairs of vehicles and purchase of car spare parts from 1999 to 2001.

The original complaints filed against Agbunag involve 20 counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and 20 counts of the complex crime of estafa through falsification of public documents.

Agbunag had pleaded not guilty to the original charges.

The graft and estafa cases in connection with the scam remain pending at the Seventh Division, including those filed against former DPWH Bureau of Equipment assistant director Florendo Arias, former Motorpool Division chief Maximo Borje Jr. as well as former DPWH personnel Mirofe Fronda and Rogelio Beray.