Sandiganbayan convicts ex-Isabela Gov. Padaca on graft, malversation
MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan on Friday convicted former Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca on charges of graft and malversation over disbursement of P25-million fund to a private organization.
The STAR reported that the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division sentenced Padaca to 12 to 14 years of imprisonment for malversation and six to 10 years for graft.
The case stemmed from Padaca’s grant of a P25-million contract for a hybrid rice program to Economic Development for Western Isabela and Northern Luzon Foundation Inc. (EDWINLFI).
The former Isabale governor was accused of conspiring with local officials to award the deal to EDWINLFI based on a memorandum of agreement approved by the provincial board.
JUST IN: Sandiganbayan Third Div convicts ex-Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca of graft & malversation over irregular disbursement of P25-M fund to a private organization, Economic Development for Western Isabela and Northern Luzon Foundation (EDWINLF). | @marcelo_beth pic.twitter.com/JFGjEWhMvv
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) November 15, 2019
The prosecution said that the non-government organization failed to liquidate P3.6 million of the amount that should have been disbursed as loans to farmers while P18 million was listed as loan receivables.
Padaca said that she will appeal the anti-graft court’s conviction as she insisted that the money went to the farmers.
She was quoted in the report as saying in Filipino: “I don’t even to know what to say. The P25 million, even one pes, even a centavo, nothing went to me. Everything went to the farmers of Isabela.”
She also argued that she received authority from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to enter into the memorandum of agreement with EDWINLFI.
Padaca posted an additional bail bond of P70,000 — on top of a bail bond of the same amount she previously paid — for her provisional liberty while she appeals the case. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from The STAR/Elizabeth Marcelo
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