Pork scam: Ex-Albay lawmaker gets 144 years

MANILA, Philippines — Former Albay third district representative Reno Lim has been found guilty over irregularities in connection with the disbursement of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel worth P27 million in 2008.

In a 41-page decision released on Friday, the anti-graft court’s second division found Lim and former Technology and Resource Center (TRC) group manager Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana guilty of four counts each of graft and malversation of public funds.

They were sentenced to up to 144 years in prison or 10 years for each count of graft, up to 40 years for each of the two malversation cases and up to 12 years for each of the two other malversation cases.

Lim and Lacsamana were directed to pay the government P27 million, the amount found to have been malversed, and pay a similar fine for malversation.

Former TRC officials Dennis Cunanan, Marivic Jover and Consuelo Reyes were cleared of the charges.

The cases stemmed from Lim’s endorsements for the release of his PDAF, through the TRC, to the Kaagapay Magpakailanman Foundation Inc. (KMFI), which was found to be a bogus non-government organization.

Investigation showed that no project was implemented, and the respondents pocketed the funds.

The court said it “cannot perceive glaring or stark variations” in Lim’s verified signatures and those appearing in his supposed endorsement letters.

It also noted that the former lawmaker was a party to the memorandum of agreement with the TRC and KMFI, where he assumed responsibilities regarding the disbursement of his PDAF.

The court said Lacsamana was convicted as she wrote the memoranda endorsing the release of Lim’s PDAF to KMFI.