Ex-Cagayan mayors get up to 20 years for graft, malversation

The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a couple who served as mayors of Amulung, Cagayan with more than 20 years of imprisonment for graft and malversation in connection to the illegal disbursement of around P18 million from 2002 to 2009.

In a 134-page decision promulgated on November 3, the Anti-Graft Court Sixth Division found former mayors Nicanor De Leon and Pacita De Leon guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as amended, and the crime of malversation of public funds under Article 127 of the Revised Penal Code.

Nicanor was sentenced with up to 27 years of imprisonment while Pacita was given up to 20 years of imprisonment. They are perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

For graft, Nicanor was sentenced with six years and one month to up to 10 years of imprisonment. He was, meanwhile, sentenced to suffer imprisonment of 10 years and one day to up to 17 years, four months, and one day for malversation.

Pacita was sentenced with imprisonment of six years and one month to 10 years for graft as well as six years and one day to up to 10 years and one day for malversation.

Meanwhile, the court ordered De Leon to pay a fine of P16.3 million and Pacita to pay P2.3 million. Both had a plus interest at the rate of 6% per annum, reckoned until the finality of the decision until the amount is fully paid.

Nicanor served as mayor from 1996 to 2007, followed by Pacita from 2007 to 2010.

The Sandiganbayan also sentenced former municipal treasurer Luzviminda Macasio with more than 50 years of imprisonment, of which 20 years were for graft and 31 were for malversation.

It ordered Macasio to pay a fine of P18 million and also perpetually disqualified him from holding public office.

The cases stemmed from Nicanor and Macasio’s disbursement of public funds through Land Bank of the Philippines checks amounting to P16.3 million from October 2022 to July 2007 without duly approved disbursement vouchers.

Meanwhile, Pacita and Macasio disbursed P2.3 million from August 2007 to January 2009 through LBP checks, also without approved vouchers and supporting documents.

“It is outrageous that this cadre of officials would have this Court believe that they were not in conspiracy when dozens of checks issued by accused Macasio were countersigned and approved by spouses De Leon in the course of 76 months,” the Court said.

“Clearly, they were in cahoots when they gave the green light for the encashment of funds to accused Macasio, the bursar turned bagman,” it added. —KG, GMA Integrated News