Ex-Zambales mayor convicted of malversation

MANILA, Philippines — For pocketing municipal funds intended for a construction project, a former mayor of Castillejos, Zambales will be spending up to eight years in prison.

Teofilo Pantaleon was found guilty of malversation of public funds, the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division said in a 16-page decision released yesterday.

Pantaleon was also perpetually disqualified from holding public office and ordered to pay a fine equivalent to the amount he malversed.

The case against Pantaleon’s co-accused, former municipal treasurer Jaime Vallejos, was dismissed  due to his death on May 10, 2010.

Pantaleon and Vallejos were indicted in 2000 for malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents over the release of a check worth P105,211.83 in October 1997 as supposed payment to Chellette Construction (CC) for the renovation of the office of the Sangguniang Bayan (SB).

In filing the case, the Office of the Ombudsman said the check was not paid to CC, but used by Pantaleon and Vallejos for their personal use and benefit.

The Sandiganbayan downgraded the case to malversation of public funds, noting that the prosecution failed to prove that the officials falsified the contract and other supporting documents for the disbursement of the checks.

The court also noted that CC completed additional repair works at the office through a funding from the Department of Public Works and Highways.

“The prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was no additional  work done... for which the municipality had to pay P105, 211.83...This only shows that the accused... took the check, but failed to give it to Chellette Construction as payment... malversation was completed and consummated,” the ruling read.

The court also acquitted CC operations manager Richel Rivera, saying the prosecution failed to establish that he participated in the preparation, release and disbursement of the check.