Sandigan affirms conviction of ex-Cebu mayor, 2 others

The Sandiganbayan’s first division has affirmed its Aug. 18, 2005 verdict sentencing a former mayor of Naga, Cebu and two others to a maximum of 64 years in jail for eight counts of falsification of public documents.

In a resolution dated Aug. 28, the anti-graft court junked the appeal of former Naga mayor Paulino Ong, his cousin Romeo Galeos and cousin-in-law Federico Rivera for lack of basis.

Ong’s group, according to the Sandiganbayan, did not raise "substantial issues" and "other cogent reasons" to convince it to reverse its earlier decision.

Ong, Galeos and Rivera were found guilty of conspiring to falsify payroll documents that required them to disclose their relationships within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.

There were initially nine counts of falsification of public documents filed against the three, but one was dismissed because the prosecution failed to present the original or certified copies of their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.