School principal gets 11 years for ‘pocketing’ P5,000

MANILA, Philippines — A public school principal in Virac, Catanduanes has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for alleged falsification of public documents and pocketing P5,000 in government funds.

In a decision promulgated on Feb. 12, the Sandiganbayan upheld a decision of the Virac Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 42 finding Anchelita Sicio of the Taytay Elementary School guilty of malversation and falsification as provided under the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

For the malversation offense, the anti-graft’s Seventh Division affirmed the RTC’s sentence of four months and one day to three years, six months and 21 days in prison against Sicio.

The Seventh Division upheld the disqualification from public office as well as a fine of P5,000 imposed on the accused.

The anti-graft court imposed an additional fine of P5,000 in civil liability, or equivalent to the amount of public funds that the accused allegedly pocketed.

For the falsification offense, the Seventh Division modified the RTC ruling, which found Sicio guilty of the offense committed by a private person as provided under the RPC.

The anti-graft court said Sicio should have been convicted of falsification committed by a public official, which imposes a stiffer penalty.

The Seventh Division modified Sicio’s sentence to six months and one day to eight years and one day, from the original four months and one day to three years, six months and 21 days in prison.

The court also imposed a fine of P3,000 against the accused.

Court records showed Sicio falsified a sales invoice to make it appear that the school purchased 28 bags of cement amounting to P7,000 when only eight bags costing P2,000 were actually bought.

The Seventh Division said Sicio failed to account for the missing P5,000, which was part of the financial assistance provided to the school by the provincial government of Catanduanes.