Hinatulang guilty ng Sandiganbayan si Surigao del Sur Representative Prospero Pichay, Jr. sa three counts of graft dahil umano sa hindi tamang paggamit ng P780 milyon pondo ng Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) na dati niyang pinamunuan.
Sa 66-pahinang desisyon na may petsang June 7, hinatulan ng Fourth Division ng Sandiganbayan si Pichay at dati niyang deputy administrator Wilfredo Feleo Jr., kaugnay sa pagkuha ng LWUA noong 2009 ng 60% ng voting stock ng Laguna-based local thrift bank Express Savings Bank Inc. (ESBI), na pag-aari ng WELLEX Group Inc. (WGI) at Forum Pacific Inc. (FPI).
Kasama sa parusang iginawad kina Pichay at Feleo, ang pagkakakulong ng anim hanggang 10 taon sa bawat count ng kaso, o kabuuang 18 hanggang 30 taon.
Pinagbabawalan din silang humawak ng posisyon sa gobyerno.
Ayon sa dibisyon ng Sandiganbayan ang ginawa nina Pichay at Feleo ay nagdulot ng "undue injury to the government" nang gawin nila ang pagkuha sa ESBI nang hindi kumukuha ng kaukulang rekisito at pahintulot mula sa Office the President, the Department of Finance (DOF), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas-Monetary Board (BSP-MB), at Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), alinsunod sa itinatakda ng Republic Act 8791 o the General Banking Law of 2000 and Administrative Order No. 59.
“The prosecution was able to present sufficient evidence to prove that the irregular transactions carried out by the accused LWUA officials …were committed with gross inexcusable negligence. Ultimately, the absence of the requisite MB approval resulted in losses on the part of the government in the total amount of P780 million,” ayon sa desisyon.
Sinabi rin ng anti-graft court na pinayuhan ng BSP si Pichay na ang pagkuha sa ESBI ay magdudulot ng pagbabago sa majority ownership ng bangko na kakailanganin ang MB approval, DOF endorsement, o clearance at approval mula sa Office of the President, at iba pa.
"It cannot be denied that the accused Pichay and Feleo knew of this requirement as they had been in consultation with the Office of the President, the DOF, and BSP. They were specifically advised to secure prior approval of the MB. This advice was given before LWUA purchased ESBI shares," ayon sa Sandiganbayan.
Sinabi naman ni Pichay na tatalakayin ng kaniyang mga abogado ang susunod nilang hakbang.
"I am determined to exhaust all possible legal remedies accorded to me by law," anang mambabatas sa pahayag.
"Well-entrenched in jurisprudence is the rule that the burden of proof lies with the prosecution. This is a case of conspiracy for allegedly violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019. Originally, there were 22 accused in this case which is why the recent decision of the Sandiganbayan came as a surprise," dagdag ni Pichay.—FRJ, GMA News