Batangas town mayor gets 10 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines — The mayor of Laurel, Batangas has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison over the ouster of the president of the town’s Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in 2012.

Randy James Amo and his co-accused Severino Endaya Jr., chairman of Barangay Poblacion 3, were found guilty of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, the Sandiganbayan’s First Division said in a 40-page decision promulgated on Sept. 24 and released yesterday.

Section 3 (e) of RA 3019 prohibits public officials from giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to any party or from causing any party, including the government, undue injury.

Amo and Endaya were also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last year, the case stemmed from the ouster of Eusebio Bilog, chairman of Barangay Bugaan West, as ABC-Laurel president.

The ombudsman said Endaya was elected to replace Bilog even though the election “was not in accordance” with the constitution and by-laws of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas.

Aside from supporting the illegal election, graft probers said Amo issued a memorandum withholding Bilog’s salaries and benefits. 

The Sandiganbayan gave weight to the testimonies of officials of the Sangguniang Bayan, Provincial Liga ng mga Barangay and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Calabarzon affirming the legitimacy of Bilog’s assumption of the post as ABC president following the death of its former president Cantucan Carsocho. Bilog was Laurel ABC vice president at the time.

“Meddling with the affairs of the Liga to suit his political agenda, supporting the manifesto to hold an election...and... unjustly depriving Bilog of his salary and other benefits... despite demands to release the same, constitute evident bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence,”the Sandiganbayan ruling read.

The Sandiganbayan also cited a letter of the DILG-Calabarzon office to the Sangguniang Bayan of Laurel that Bilog was the legitimate president of the town’s ABC and there was no need for an election because there was no vacancy. 

Amo “did not lift a finger” despite the opinion of the DILG, the court said.

“Up to the present, (Amo) ... failed to act on the demand of Bilog to release his salaries and benefits despite the recognition by the National Liga,” the court added.