Sandigan upholds conviction of PADC exec

MANILA,Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has upheld the conviction of a Philippine Aerospace Development Corp. (PADC) official over his failure to liquidate his cash advances for his foreign trip in 2006.

In a 17-page resolution promulgated on Oct. 29, the court’s Sixth Division said PADC management services department officer-in-charge Antonio Suba failed to raise any argument in his motion for reconsideration that would warrant the reversal of its July 31 decision finding him guilty of failure to render accounts under Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code.

The Sixth Division also increased Suba’s jail sentence to six months from just four months in the original decision.

The court said Suba’s voluntary surrender after the filing of the case should be the only mitigating circumstance in his favor and not his belated refund of the questioned cash advances.

“This is an opportune time to correct the penalty imposed in the assailed decision. Consistent with the Supreme Court’s ruling... restitution must be for the full amount. In addition, it must be done within a reasonable period,” the Sixth Division said.

The court noted that Suba paid his unliquidated cash advances eight years after they were due and following repeated demands by the Commission on Audit (COA).

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2014, the case stemmed from Suba’s receipt of cash advances amounting to P132,978.89 for his trip to Beijing, China in October 2006 to attend the fourth Biennial International Aircraft Conversion and Maintenance Conference.

The ombudsman said Suba failed to liquidate his cash advances within two months after his trip, in violation of Executive Order 298 and COA Circular No. 96-004.

In convicting Suba, the Sixth Division said the travel itself was questionable, thus, the liquidation of his cash advances was even more pressing.

The PADC is a government-owned firm under the Department of Transportation.

In September 2017, the Sandiganbayan sentenced Suba to six to 10 years in prison for the unauthorized trip to Beijing and perpetually disqualified him from holding public office.