ER Ejercito gets 8 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines — Former Laguna governor Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito has been sentenced to up to eight years in prison over an anomalous insurance contract when he was mayor of Pagsanjan town in 2008.

In a decision promulgated yesterday, the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division also ordered Ejercito’s perpetual disqualification from holding public office, cancellation of his civil service eligibility and forfeiture of his retirement benefits.

Former Pagsanjan councilors Arlyn Lazaro-Torres, Terryl Gamit-Talabong, Kalahi Rabago, Erwin Sacluti and Gener Dimaranan as well as private respondent Marilyn Bruel, proprietor of First Rapids Care Ventures (FRCV), were meted the same prison term. They were asked to post an additional bail of P30,000 each to continue enjoying their provisional liberty while appealing their conviction.

Former vice mayor Crisostomo Vilar was cleared of the charges after the prosecution failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The case against former councilor Ronald Sablan was dismissed due to his death.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in March 2016, the case stemmed from a contract that the Pagsanjan municipal government entered into with the FRCV in October 2008 for accident protection and financial assistance coverage of tourists and boatmen at the Pagsanjan Gorge Tourist Zone.

Graft probers said the insurance contract was entered into without public bidding, adding that it was awarded to FRCV even though the company has no license or certificate of authority from the Insurance Commission.

The court also cited the municipal council’s ”hasty” passage of an ordinance for appropriation of funds for the project and the authorization given to Ejercito to enter into a contract with FRCV.