Land inspector gets 10 years for graft, estafa

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a land inspector in Calaca, Batangas to 10 years in prison for assuming the authority to process land titles in exchange for a fee.

In a 25-page decision promulgated on Nov. 26, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division upheld a ruling of the Balayan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10, finding Adiotor Infante guilty of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and estafa as provided under the Revised Penal Code.

The Sixth Division reduced the lower court’s sentence on Infante in view of his voluntary surrender.

For the graft offense, the Sandiganbayan sentenced Infante to six years and one month to 10 years in prison.

The Balayan RTC originally sentenced Infante to six years and one month to 10 years and six months in prison.

For estafa, the Sixth Division sentenced Infante to one month and one day to seven months in prison, from the original two months to one year in prison imposed by the RTC.

The anti-graft court upheld the perpetual disqualification of Infante from holding public office earlier imposed by the Balayan court.

Infante was ordered to return to the complainants the amount of P165,000 in actual damages, with an interest of six percent per annum from the finality of the decision until fully paid.

The charges stemmed from Infante’s act of demanding payments from Felix Reyna and Sofia Vergara in exchange for the processing of the complainants’ land titles.

Infante, who was assigned at the community environment and natural resources office in Calaca, received from Reyna and Vergara an initial of P90,000 and an additional of P75,000 for the processing of their applications for the titling of their property.

The Sandiganbayan said the prosecution presented sufficient proof and witnesses against Infante.