Ex-Sorsogon governor gets 16 years for graft

MANILA, Philippines — Former Sorsogon governor Raul Lee may spend up to 16 years in prison over the anomalous award of contracts for information technology projects worth P22.9 million.

In a 66-page decision promulgated on Monday, the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division said Lee was found guilty of two counts of violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Former provincial general services officer Teresita Paladin was found guilty of two counts of the same offense while former inspection officer Manuel Laurora and former accounting clerk Felicisimo Brondial were convicted for one count each.

Lee, Paladin, Laurora and Brondial were sentenced to a maximum of eight years in prison for each count and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Former provincial legal officer Antonio Huab, provincial assessor Florencio Diño II, officer-in-charge budget officer Rosie Agnis and provincial engineer Arnie de Vera were acquitted due to the failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

The cases filed against Enrico Velasco, president and chief executive officer of First Education and Training Ventures Inc. (FETVI), who remains at large, was temporarily archived.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2013, the cases stemmed from the award of two contracts to FETVI for the supply of computer software and hardware and other equipment in connection with the implementation of the provincial government’s various IT-related projects.

One of the cases stemmed from the award of a P12.9-million contract to FETVI in March 2004 without public bidding

The other case was in connection with the award of a P9.9-million contract to FETVI in October 2005 for the supply of computer software and hardware despite “knowing fully well” that what were delivered were incomplete and substandard.