Ex-Albay mayor, 3 others get 6 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former town mayor of Albay and three other former officials to six years in prison in connection with anomalous vehicle maintenance contracts in 2003.

Former Camalig mayor Paz Muñoz, former municipal accountant Rem Ortonio, municipal treasurer Armando Quintan and municipal engineer Rogelio Naz Jr. were also slapped with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

In a decision promulgated on Tuesday, the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division said transactions with Legazpi Tireworld Corp. caused undue injury to the government.

The graft case was supported by the findings of the Commission on Audit of irregularities in the repair and maintenance contracts for the vehicles of the municipal government, including a dump truck and an ambulance. Former councilor Carlos Irwin Baldo Jr. filed the complaint.

State auditors said the municipal government spent P447,027.53 for the maintenance of only five vehicles for only a year.

The Sandiganbayan said it found  “badges of irregularity” in the contracts, citing similar dates in the award of the contract and the purchase order.

 “This would connote an absurd and highly irregular situation...the request for quotation, award and purchase order were all completed in a single day. These irregularities are too numerous and blatant to be attributable to an honest mistake,” the anti-graft court said.