WHEN a former chairperson of a barangay in Manila appealed his conviction on two counts of graft by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) in 2019, he did not expect that his jail sentence would get three times longer.
In a 30-page decision dated Sept. 25, 2025, the Sandiganbayan First Division not only affirmed the guilty verdict handed by the Manila RTC Branch 40 against accused Felix Mones, it also modified the penalty and meted him three times the original jail sentence.
The RTC decision of April 12, 2019 sentenced Mones, former chairperson of Barangay 410, Zone 42, District IV in Manila, to two to six years for two counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019).
In denying the defendant’s appeal, the Sandiganbayan said the correct penalty should be six to eight years per count since the penal provision of RA 3019 was already amended in 1982 by Batas Pambansa Blg. 195.
Case records showed Mones served only for three months as chairperson of Barangay 410 from August 30 to Nov. 30, 2010. But during his short stint, government auditors found that he ordered the barangay treasurer to withdraw sums from Barangay 410’s PNB account twice: P89,200 on Nov. 12, 2010 and P134,600 on Nov. 17, 2010.
Former barangay treasurer Reinafina Figueroa confirmed both withdrawals, saying Mones told her the money was intended to pay workers who were hired to clear drainage canals in the barangay to prevent flooding.
For her participation, Figueroa was also convicted of one count of graft and was meted two to six years.
The Sandiganbayan decision did not say if she appealed her conviction.
Mones, aside from landing in deeper trouble with three times longer jail sentence, was also told to repay the sum he carted away from the barangay’s coffers totaling P223,800.
“This Court finds that the prosecution was able to establish beyond reasonable doubt all the elements of Section 3 (e) of RA No. 3019, as amended. Therefore, the conviction of Mones for violations of the said law must be sustained,” the Sandiganbayan said.
