Robin Padilla’s brother to spend time at New Bilibid Prison for misuse of .45 pistol, bullets

The First Division of the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has junked the motion of former Camarines Norte Governor Casimiro “Roy” Padilla Jr. to be detained in a provincial jail, and instead ordered his transfer at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

In a commitment order issued Monday afternoon, the First Division said effective March 21, 2016 Padilla should be under the custody of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)in Muntinlupa City.

“I hereby commit to you the person of accused Casimiro A. Padilla a.k.a. Roy A. Padilla Jr. sentenced by this Court per Decision promulgated on November 27, 2012,” the commitment order signed by Associate Justice Reynaldo Cruz read.

The ordered was addressed to the Director of Prisons of the BuCor, Muntinlupa City.

It was in November 2012 when the First Division found Padilla guilty of malversation of public property over his failure to return to the provincial government a 45 caliber pistol and ammunition amounting to P7,462 issued by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in 1992 during his term as governor.

Padilla appealed the Sandiganbayan’s ruling before the Supreme Court but the high tribunal upheld the anti-graft court’s ruling in April 2014.

In a motion that he personally filed Monday morning, Padilla asked the First Division to order his detention at the provincial jail of Camarines Norte, pointing out that it is there where the crime was supposedly committed.

Padilla further cited that under the Revised Administrative Code of the Philippines, a convicted person sentenced to a maximum of three years of imprisonment or a fine of not more than P1,000 shall be considered a provincial prisoner instead of a national prisoner.

However, in its commitment order, the First Division clarified that Padilla was sentenced to a minimum of four months and one day to a maximum of four years and two months of imprisonment contrary to Padilla’s claim that he was sentenced to just two years and four months of maximum imprisonment.

The former governor, who is the eldest brother of actor Robin Padilla, has been under the custody of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) since Friday last week following his arrest after several years of evading the authorities.

Padilla on Friday said was ready to serve his sentence but insisted that the charges against him were politically motivated. —NB, GMA News