Samar lawmaker gets 115 years for P16.1-M graft

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has convicted Samar second district Rep. Milagrosa Tan for eight counts of graft in connection with the anomalous purchase of emergency supplies for typhoon victims when she was governor in 2001.

Tan was sentenced to up to 115 years in prison or a minimum of eight years to maximum of 15 years for seven counts of the charges and six to 10 years for the other case.

The anti-graft court’s fourth division also ordered Tan’s perpetual disqualification from holding public office. A bail of P240,000 was recommended while she is appealing her conviction.

Former provincial administrative officer Rolando Montejo and private supplier Reynaldo Yabut were meted the same penalties.

Four other former provincial officials – accountant Romeo Reales, budget officer Maximo Sison Jr., general services officer Aurelio Bardaje Jr. and records and inspection officer Numeriano Legaspi – were cleared of the charges.

The charges filed against former provincial treasurer Damiano Conde were dismissed following his death in 2014.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2006, the cases stemmed from the provincial government’s procurement of cement, medicine, t-shirts and electric fans worth P16.1 million for victims of Typhoon Kidang without public bidding.

Noel Labendia, former priest of the diocese of Calbayog, filed the complaint.

The Sandiganbayan said Tan directed her co-accused to “just sign the inspection reports and pre-select the suppliers for the items purchased.”

The court said the supporting documents for the transactions came from Tan’s office and not from the suppliers. The documents were also signed before the procurement process started.

“As... governor... Tan was expected to know the proper procedure in the procurement of supplies and is duty-bound to follow the same,” the 57-page decision penned by Associate Justice Bayani Jacinto read.

Associate Justices Alex Quiroz and Reynaldo Cruz concurred with the ruling.