FOR the second time in as many years, former Cotabato Rep. Gregorio Ipong, former Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, and former TLRC chief accountant Marivic Jover found themselves at the receiving end of a guilty ruling issued by the Sandiganbayan.
In a 52-page decision promulgated last September 13, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division convicted all three of graft and malversation of public funds in connection with the fraudulent transfer of P4.9 million from Ipong’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or “pork barrel” allocations to a private foundation on May 3, 2007.
They were sentenced to six to ten years imprisonment for graft and 10 to 17 years for the malversation or a total of 16 to 27 years.
All three were also barred from holding any other government position and ordered to individually pay a fine in the sum of P4.9 million and to indemnify the government in the same amount payable to the Bureau of Treasury subject to a six percent yearly interest until paid in full.
Associate Justice Kevin Narce B. Vivero penned the decision, with Associate Justices Sarah Jane T. Fernandez and Bayani H. Jacinto concurring.
Two years ago on September 11, 2020, the Third Division also pronounced the three guilty of similar crimes involving P9.6 million PDAF of the former lawmaker. They were meted 18 to 28 years in jail, fined P9.6 million each, and ordered to pay P9.6 million as indemnity to the government.
In both sets of cases, the court said the three caused undue injury to the government by allowing the transfer of public funds to Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. (AFPI), a non-government organization (NGO).
AFPI head Alfredo A. Ronquillo and former TLRC director general Antonio Ortiz were both named co-accused in the graft and malversation cases but have remained at-large.
The Sandiganbayan noted that Ipong personally selected and endorsed AFPI as project partner for his PDAF-funded livelihood projects that were supposed to benefit poor and marginalized residents of his district.
On the other hand, Cunanan and Jover were found to have “knowingly processed, approved, and subsequently released to AFPI” the lawmaker’s PDAF even if the NGO was not accredited by the government.
“As shown by the prosecution, manifest partiality and evident bad faith are present in this case when established rules, regulations and policies of the [Commission on Audit] were wantonly disregarded,” the court declared.
