Ex-BFP chief gets up to 90 years for graft, estafa over firetrucks repair mess

The Sandiganbayan has found former Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) chief Francisco Senot guilty of estafa and graft, and has sentenced him to a maximum of 90 years imprisonment for the fictitious repairs of two BFP firetrucks in 2001.

In its 86-page decision, the anti-graft court's Third Division ruled that Senot be imprisoned from six to 10 years for each of his five counts of estafa through falsification of public documents, or a maximum of 50 years.

Additional jail time is meted against Senot for conviction on the five counts of graft, with six to eight years imprisonment for each count or a maximum sentence of 40 years.

Senot is also required to pay more than P217,000 in fines and damages to the BFP plus an interest rate of six percent per annum computed from the finality of the decision.

Furthermore, Senot is perpetually disqualified from his right of suffrage and from holding public office.

His co-accused, former BFP Finance Service Division chief Florante Cruz, will face the same sentence and penalties.

Based on the case information, the respondents falsified disbursement vouchers and other supporting documents to make it appear that two BFP vehicles, a Kia Besta van and an Isuzu Elf truck, underwent several repairs between June 15 to December 18, 2001.

The fictitious repairs reached more than P192,000 between the said months.

Senot and Cruz then used the falsified documents to justify the issuance of checks from Landbank of the Philippines which were then encashed for their personal benefit.

"The accused knew fully well that there was no repair made on the said vehicle, and once in possession of the said check, said accused did then and there willfully, unlawfully and criminally take, encase, convert and misappropriate the proceeds thereof for their own personal use and benefit," the ruling said.

The Sandiganbayan also recognized that the prosecution was able to establish that no repairs were actually performed on the Besta van and the Elf truck.

"Undoubtedly, the government suffered undue injury from the loss of the said amounts," it concluded.

Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernando penned the decision, and was concurred by Associate Justices Amparo Cabotage-Tang and Bernelto Fernandez. —NB, GMA News