Ex-Leyte mayor, 3 others get 10 years for tractor purchase

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former mayor and three other former officials of a town in Leyte to a maximum of 10 years in prison for the irregular purchase of a farm tractor in 2005.

Former Tunga mayor Amando Aumento Sr., municipal accountant Lea Requiez, municipal treasurer Julita Falguera and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairman Alejo Costelo were also permanently disqualified from holding public office. 

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Efren de la Cruz, the anti-graft court’s First Division found that the municipality purchased a farm tractor worth P1.1 million through direct contracting on Aug. 17, 2005.   

The Commission on Audit (COA) established that the BAC referred only to certain brand names with Aumento acting as the requisitioning officer and canvasser.

Records also show that advance payment was made in violation of Section 88 of Presidential Decree 1445 or the Government Auditing Code and Section 338 of the Local Government Code, prompting COA to issue a notice of disallowance.

“The court is of the view that right from the start… the accused decided to buy the (farm tractor) on the same day the BAC called and held a pre-bid conference,” the anti-graft court said.