In the end, we’ll overcome — convicted ex-gov

TARLAC CITY — The province’s first post-martial law governor, Mariano Un Ocampo III, is appealing his and his brother-in-law’s recent conviction by the Sandiganbayan for three counts of malversation of public funds.

"We know that in the end, we will overcome," said Ocampo in an open letter to friends and supporters.

Ocampo and brother-in-law Andres Flores were meted a jail term of 10 to 19 years and ordered to pay a fine of P1.26 million

The Sandiganbayan found Ocampo and Flores to have profited on three occasions between Nov. 2, 1988 and Feb. 27, 1989 when they placed in a time deposit with the Rural Bank of Tarlac a P1.2-million loan acquired by the Lingkod Tarlac Foundation Inc. (LTFI) from the national government.

Ocampo chaired the LTFI, and his brother-in-law was its executive director.

The anti-graft court found them to have pocketed P66,932.70 representing interest on the time deposit.

The Commission on Audit (COA) also accused Ocampo and Flores of having "converted for their personal use" the balance of P1.18 million from the purchase of P7.6 million worth of embroidery machines.

Based on records, the provincial government, on Oct. 24, 1988, loaned P11.5 million to the LTFI for Ocampo’s Rural Industrialization Can Happen (RICH) program.

Of the amount released, P7.24 million was intended for the purchase of 400 embroidery machines. Ocampo was supposed to return the remaining funds to the national government, but did not do so.

A Filipino-Chinese businessman, William Uy, was implicated in the case. He, however, jumped bail and has remained at large.

In the third case, Ocampo was found guilty of misappropriating P58,000 in national government funds.

Over 50 graft and malversation cases were actually filed against Ocampo, who had branded them as "harassment cases." Except for the three cases for which he and his brother-in-law were convicted, the rest were dismissed.

Insisting on his innocence, Ocampo said the Sandiganbayan "acted on the wrong premises."

He expressed hopes his appeal will "clarify" the issues and will prompt the Sandiganbayan to reverse its earlier decision.

"We are certain that the truth is on our side and we shall eventually emerge triumphant," Ocampo said. "We have faith in God and our system of justice."