Sandigan upholds conviction of TLRC execs over ‘pork’ scam

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of three officials of the abolished state firm Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) for graft and malversation of public funds in connection with their alleged involvement in the pork barrel fund scam.

In a resolution promulgated on May 13, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division said TLRC deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, chief accountant Marivic Jover and group manager Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana failed to raise any new meritorious arguments in their respective motions for reconsideration that would warrant the reversal of its Feb. 6 decision.

The Sixth Division had earlier found the TLRC officials guilty of one count each of violating Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and malversation of public funds under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.

For the graft offense, they were sentenced to up to eight years in prison.

For the malversation case, they were sentenced to up to 18 years in prison, with the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office and forfeiture of retirement and gratuity benefits.

They were also ordered to pay a fine of P9.8 million, equivalent to the amount of public funds found to have been malversed.

The Sandiganbayan said this was on top of another P9.8 million that Cunanan, Jover and Lacsamana must jointly refund the government, through the Bureau of the Treasury.

The court acquitted TLRC department manager Francisco Figura “for failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt.”

Filed by the ombudsman in 2020, the cases stemmed from the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel of former Laguna congressman Danton Bueser amounting to P9.8 million in 2007.