Ex-CAAP official fined P250 for stealing P65K gas money

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan fined a former official of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) P250 after he admitted to using the agency’s funds to buy P65,972.13 worth of gasoline for his personal vehicle.

Abner Bondoc, former deputy director general for administration and chief finance officer of the agency, pleaded guilty to the charge of failure to render accounts, as defined under Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code.

Citing Bondoc’s voluntary admission of guilt as a mitigating circumstance, the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division fined him P250 and directed him to return P65,972.13, equivalent to the amount of gasoline he loaded into his vehicle from April 20, 2011 to Aug. 1, 2012.

Bondoc opted to plead guilty to a lesser offense instead of undergoing a full trial for the heavier charge of violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which carries a penalty of six to 10 years in prison and perpetual disqualification from public office.

His admission of guilt was in accordance with his plea bargain proposal to the Office of the Ombudsman, which filed the heavier case against him in January 2019.

Ombudsman Samuel Martires accepted Bondoc’s proposal last September.

In allowing the plea bargain, the Fourth Division cited Section 2, Rule 116 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, which states that the trial court can allow the accused to plead guilty to a lesser offense as long as the prosecution or offended party consents.

The decision was penned by division chairman Associate Justice Alex Quiroz with the concurrence of Associate Justices Bayani Jacinto and Ronald Moreno.