Sarangani execs convicted of graft

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan sentenced a Sarangani provincial official to life imprisonment for mishandling of government funds amounting to almost P130,000.

?In a 48-page decision, the anti-graft court found provincial board member Marlind Marcelo guilty of the complex crime of Malversation through Falsification of Public Documents.

The Court also ordered Marcelo to indemnify the Province of Sarangani P129,450.

In the same ruling, the tribunal  sentenced former Assistant Provincial Veterinarian Nicolas Sunio to 10 years imprisonment for the same offense. He was ordered to pay the fine of P5,000 for the crime.

In 2003, the Office of the Ombudsman requested the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a special audit on the alleged anomalies in Sarangani on the release of financial assistance to various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and people's organizations.

?Results of the special audit investigation showed that financial assistance given to various NGOs were fraudulent and the projects were non-existent.

In convicting the accused, the Sandiganbayan found out that Marcelo and Sunio falsified disbursement vouchers and supporting documents by making it appear that financial assistance was requested by the Datal Bila Multi-Purpose Cooperative (DBMPC) despite knowing that the cooperative was fictitious. 

The COA audit team established that DBMPC had no certificate of accreditation from the Cooperative Development Authority and had also failed to submit its financial statements for the last three years.  No Memorandum of Agreement was signed between DBMPC and the Province of Sarangani.

The late Sarangani vice governor Felipe Constantino's staff member and whistleblower Mary Ann Gadian testified that "she was assigned a 'special task' during employment in the office of accused Constantino."

The task, she said, "consisted of creating fictitious cooperatives and falsifying documents relating to cooperatives as a means to get provincial funds for their personal use." 

Another whistleblower, Sheryll Desiree Jane Tangan, testified that she signed above the names of the representatives of DBMPC requesting financial assistance in the amount of P125,000.

Tangan told the court that she signed the by-laws of DBMPC.

Another co-accused in the graft case,  former Provincial Accountant Maria Camanay remains at large.