Fiscal to spend 9 years in jail for direct bribery

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan yesterday found a public prosecutor guilty of direct bribery and sentenced him to a maximum of nine years in jail for asking money from a respondent in a string of estafa cases that he was handling, on Valentine’s Day six years ago.

The anti-graft court’s Fourth Division also ordered Dagupan City assistant prosecutor Joselito Barrozo to pay a fine of P60,000.

In a 30-page ruling, the Sandiganbayan said lawyers of the Office of the Ombudsman were able to prove that Barrozo demanded and received P20,000 from one Jennie Valeriano on Feb. 14, 2005.

Barrozo was arrested in an entrapment operation at the parking area of the Dagupan City Justice Hall by National Bureau of Investigation agents after Valeriano sought their help.

Records show that Valeriano was the respondent in several cases of estafa and bouncing checks pending before Barrozo’s office.

Barrozo dismissed the estafa cases and demanded money from Valeriano for resolving the cases in her favor.