Ex-Laguna mayor charged for holding seat on rural bank’s board while in office

A former mayor of Cabuyao City, Laguna has been charged with graft at the Sandiganbayan for allegedly holding a board of directors seat at a rural bank while serving as local chief executive.

The Office of the Ombudsman charged former mayor Isidro Hemedes Jr. with one count of violation of Section 3(h) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Based on the charge sheet, Hemedes is accused of "willfully, unlawfully and criminally" having financial interests in Luzon Development Bank by serving as a member of its board of directors while also sitting as an incumbent mayor of Cabuyao City.

Hemedes allegedly held the position between June 30, 2007 to February 5, 2014, and thus violated Section 1 of Presidential Decree No. 119.

Hemedes was Cabuyao mayor until he was succeeded by Rommel Gecolea after the 2016 elections.

A bail bond of P30,000 has been recommended in the case, which was filed at the Sandiganbayan on March 9.

The anti-graft law states that public officials are prohibited from "having financing or pecuniary interest in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity." — BM, GMA News