Pasay prosecutor convicted of graft

The Sandiganbayan’s First Division convicted yesterday an assistant city prosecutor of Pasay City for demanding P50,000 and eventually accepting a P2,000 in exchange for dismissing a concubinage case.

In a 23-page decision, the Sandiganbayan convicted Bonifacio Barrera of direct bribery and sentenced him to a jail term of one year and eight months to three years and six months and pay a fine of P4,000.

The Sandiganbayan also ordered him to suffer a “special temporary disqualification” from government service.

Court records show that on June 29, 2000, Barrera demanded and received P2,000 from Romulo Gaboy to dismiss the concubinage charge filed by Gaboy’s wife against him and Maria Mercedes Hinlo.

Gaboy had earlier filed an adultery case against his wife and Ramon Cabrigas. Barrera handled both cases.

Gaboy said during the preliminary investigation of the concubinage case, he had given Barrera a total of P15,000 and eight fighting cocks.

When Gaboy received a resolution recommending the filing of concubinage charges against him, he asked Barrera, who then demanded P50,000 to dismiss the case and quash the arrest warrant. He said Barrera agreed to P30,000.

On June 26, 2000, Gaboy complained to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which conducted an entrapment on June 29, 2000 at the Pasay City prosecutor’s office.

Records show that NBI agents arrested Barrera after he pocketed the P2,000 marked money Gaboy gave him.

Barrera told the Sandiganbayan that he never demanded money from Gaboy and denied that he accepted such a bribe.– Sandy Araneta