MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former president of the state-owned National Agribusiness Corp. (NABCOR) to up to eight years in prison for alleged unlawful payment of P4.797 million to a financial consultant in 2012.
In a 42-page decision promulgated on March 25, the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division found former NABCOR president Honesto Baniqued guilty of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Baniqued was perpetually disqualified from holding public office.
The court ordered him to pay the Department of Agriculture P4.797 million in civil liability. The NABCOR is an attached agency of the DA.
Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2018, the case stemmed from Baniqued’s approval of the release of payment amounting to P4.797 million to Rodolfo Romero, who was hired by NABCOR as financial adviser from April to July 2012.