Sandigan affirms Davao Norte village chief’s conviction

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has upheld the conviction of a barangay captain in Davao del Norte over the unauthorized sale of a dump truck.

In a minute resolution promulgated on Nov. 22 but released only this week, the anti-graft court’s seventh division affirmed with finality the Aug. 19, 2022 decision of the Tagum City Regional Trial Court Branch 1, which sentenced Arthur Lontoc Jr., chairman of Barangay Pag-asa in Kapalong town, to up to seven years in prison for graft and up to six years for malversation.

The cases stemmed from Lontoc’s sale in 2006 of an Isuzu mini dump truck donated by the municipal government to Barangay Pag-asa worth P295,000.

Government prosecutors said Lontoc sold the dump truck to a certain Felix Sibonga for P77,000 without authorization from the barangay council.

Proceeds from the sale of the vehicle were not remitted to the barangay treasury, but were instead misappropriated by Lontoc for his “own personal use and benefit,” the prosecution said.

In affirming Lontoc’s conviction, the seventh division said the sale was consummated before he secured an authorization from the barangay council.