Napoles gets over 100 years for another ‘pork’ conviction

MANILA, Philippines — Businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles was sentenced to 78 up to 150 years in prison as she was convicted anew of multiple criminal charges, this time in connection with the alleged misuse of P35 million worth of Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel of former Ilocos Sur 1st District representative Salacnib Baterina.

In a 60-page decision promulgated on Friday, the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division has found Napoles guilty of three counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and another three counts of malversation of public funds under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.

For the graft offense, Napoles was sentenced to six up to 10 years of imprisonment for each count or a total of 18 to 30 years for the three counts.

For the malversation offense, she was sentenced to reclusion perpetua or 20 up to 40 years of imprisonment for each count, or a total of 60 to 120 years for the three counts.

Convicted with Napoles for two counts each of graft and another two counts each of malversation were Belina Concepcion, supervisor and legislative liaison officer of abolished state firm Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC), and Godofredo Roque of Kaagapay Magpakailanman Foundation Inc.

Convicted on one count each of graft and malversation were Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, group manager of TLRC, and Evelyn de Leon, president of Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc.

Aside from their conviction, the court also ordered Napoles and her co-accused to individually or jointly return to the government a total of P35 million, equivalent to the amount of public funds found to have been malversed.

The court said this was on top of another P35 million that Napoles and the other convicted accused must pay in fines.