Former Manila barangay captain convicted of graft for getting patrol car loan 

A former barangay captain in Manila has been convicted of graft and estafa by a regional trial court for taking out a loan for the purchase of a patrol car in 2010 even if the full budget for its acquisition has already been released.

Former Barangay 564 captain Alex Fontaina was sentenced to imprisonment ranging from seven to 15 years for graft and four to 17 years for estafa by Judge Liwliwa Hidalgo-Bucu of Branch 33 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila.

Fontaina was also meted the accessory penalty of perpetual special disqualification.

He was also found guilty of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or Republic Act No. 3019 and estafa for the anomalous acquisition of a patrol car worth P221,277.00 while he was barangay captain.

During the trial, prosecutors showed evidence that Fontaina bought the car through a financing scheme even though the budget for its purchase was released in full.

Witnesses presented by the prosecution testified that the barangay used the patrol car only for two to four months because it was seized by the financing company due to Fontaina’s failure to pay the monthly amortizations.

Fontaina's conviction for estafa stemmed from his use of the signatures of other barangay officials, made on a blank sheet of paper, to secure a P120,000.00 personal loan, without the knowledge and consent of the signatories. — VVP, GMA News