THE Sandiganbayan Special Sixth Division has convicted former Cebu Rep. Clavel A. Martinez and five other local officials including her son, former Bogo, Cebu mayor Celestino Martinez, of three counts each of graft and malversation of public funds in connection with alleged fraudulent handling of government funds.
In an 86-page joint decision penned by Associate Justice Kevin Narce B. Vivero, the special division pronounced the defendants guilty of conspiracy to defraud the Girl Scouts of the Philippines-Cebu Council and the government in the sum of P24.4 million sourced from the congresswoman’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations in 2002 and 2003.
The court sustained the prosecution’s stand that the money intended for the GSP’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Campaign was diverted and converted to Martinez’ personal benefit.
Associate Justices Sarah Jane T. Fernandez and Karl B. Miranda concurred.
Convicted with the Martinezes in all six charges were former municipal treasurer Rhett Miguez, municipal accountant Cresencio Verdida, GSP-Cebu bookkeeper Rhodariza Kilantang and cashier Julieta Quiño
The court sentenced the defendants to six years in jail per graft case or a total of 18 years, eight years for the first malversation charge, and identical 10 years imprisonment for the second and third malversation cases.
Likewise convicted on one count each of graft and malversation were GSP-Cebu treasurer Maria Cielo Martinez, daughter of Rep. Martinez, and former GSP-Cebu president now Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Paz Radaza. They were sentenced to a total of 14 and 16 years of imprisonment, respectively.
On top of jail terms, the court also imposed fines of P10 million in the first malversation charge, P7.1 million in the second, and P7.3 million in the third one, or a total of P24.4 million.
Likewise, defendants in the second and third malversation cases were ordered to reimburse the government through the Bureau of treasury the amount of P7.1 million and P7.3 million equivalent to the PDAF sums embezzled.
All convicted defendants were also deemed perpetually disqualified from holding any other government posts in the future.
The decision in all six cases is still appealable.
