Sandiganbayan convicts ex-town mayor of graft

CEBU, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan convicted former Mayor Zenaida Maamo of Lilo-an town in Southern Leyte for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for awarding her own business a catering contract when then President Fidel V. Ramos visited her town in 1995.

Maamo was sentenced to suffer an indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of six years and one month as minimum to ten years as maximum, with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Ombudsman prosecutors established that Maamo was the owner of Niña’s Eatery and Lodging House that bagged the food catering contract amounting to P87,000.

Documents presented during the trial showed that the purchase request and purchase order for the food services contract were signed by Maamo.

The mayor’s statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, or SALN, for the years 1996 to 1999 also served as proof of her ownership of Niña’s Eatery, which was listed in her business interest and/or other financial concern.

Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, prohibits public officials from having a direct or indirect financial or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in which he either intervenes or takes part in his official capacity.

Sandiganbayan Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta, who penned the decision promulgated on September 22, 2014, stated: “It was highly irregular for a municipal mayor to approve a contracting service in favor of a business she owned and operated.”

The decision further said: “In this case, the accused evidently committed a palpable violation of the law by having engaged in a business transaction with the Municipality of Lilo-an by approving the food catering service in favor of Niña’s Eatery.”