Ex-DAR exec pleads guilty to fund misuse

The Sandiganbayan has found the former regional director of the Department of Agrarian Reform guilty of using P184,904 worth of public funds for his personal benefit.

The Sixth Division convicted former DAR Region 13 chief Yusoph Mama guilty of one count of failure of accountable officer to render accounts under Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code.

The May 7 decision required Mama to pay a fine of P6,000.

Mama was initially indicted for malversation of public funds for allegedly taking advantage of his position to misappropriate the funds he received between August 1997 to February 1999.

The case stemmed from a liquidation report submitted by the Commission on Audit saying that as of September 30, 2011, Mama has yet to account for the funds which he received and have full control of by reason of the duties of his office at the Agusan del Norte capitol in Butuan City.

However, Mama proposed a plea bargain deal in exchange of pleading guilty to a lesser offense. His proposal was approved by the Sandiganbayan on April 3.

The Sandiganbayan said it made no reward of damages since Mama already fully paid the subject cash advances.

“The accused and his counsel informed the Court that the accused fully understood the nature and consequences of his entering a plea of guilty to said crime,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“Having pleaded guilty to the lesser charge in the Information, the accused is deemed to have admitted all the material facts alleged therein,” it added. —KBK, GMA News