Ex-NBI exec, cashier get 22 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines - A former chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) satellite office in Quezon City and a chief cashier were sentenced by a local court to 22 years in prison for graft and malversation of public funds, the Office of the Ombudsman said yesterday.

Ramil Rodriguez, former chief of the NBI office in Quezon City, and cashier Elizabeth Sobrevilla were also ordered to pay a fine of P942,425, equivalent to the amount they failed to account for. They were also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

NBI liaison officer Raul Angeles, a co-accused in the case, was acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence to show that he was involved in the anomaly.

The Quezon City regional trial court (RTC) sentenced them to a maximum of four years in prison for graft and a maximum of 18 years for malversation of public funds.

Records of the case showed that in 2006, NBI operatives conducted a surprise cash count at the Quezon City satellite office and discovered that several booklets of used original receipts were kept inside the vault but had no corresponding cash payments.

The Office of the Ombudsman established that Rodriguez and Sobrevilla failed to duly account for 120 booklets (8,195 pieces) of official receipts and failed to remit upon demand the collection of clearance fees amounting to P942,425.

In the 20-page decision penned by RTC Branch 226 Presiding Judge Manuel Sta. Cruz Jr., the court said Rodriguez and Sobrevilla conspired in carrying out the scheme.

“In the case at hand, the existence of conspiracy is very evident from the acts of (the) accused. Rodriguez, in his capacity as officer-in-charge of the Quezon City NBI satellite office, allowed Sobrevilla unhampered access to the vault, located inside his office, where the subject used official receipts and corresponding amounts were supposed to be safe-kept. He should not have given a subaltern such blanket discretion. Evidently, such actions are tantamount to gross negligence on his part,” the ruling read.

Ombudsman prosecutors, during the trial, also proved that Sobrevilla took the missing money and lent it to other people.