Sandigan affirms ex-Bohol mayor’s conviction

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has upheld the conviction of former mayor Requillo Samuya of San Isidro, Bohol over the anomalous procurement of fertilizer.

In a nine-page resolution, the anti-graft court’s third division said Samuya failed to raise any new argument in his motion to reverse its Sept. 6, 2019 ruling finding him guilty of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Samuya was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2017, the case stemmed from a contract that the municipal government entered with Akame Marketing between March to June 2004 for the purchase of 812.5 kilos of soil activator amounting to P975,000.

The ombudsman said the contract was awarded to Akame without public bidding. 

“Testimonial and documentary evidence... proved that the accused gave unwarranted benefit and advantage to Akame when he approved the procurement... through direct contracting,” the court ruling read.

The court also cited the testimony of former municipal accountant Leonila Quiwag that she did not sign the voucher for the release of the fund due to incomplete documents.

The third division found no merit in Samuya’s defense that he acted “in good faith” when he approved the purchase to provide fertilizer to farmers.