Sandiganbayan convicts ex-PCGG chair Sabio for graft

The Sandiganbayan on Thursday convicted former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chair Camilo Sabio over the commission's anomalous vehicle lease deals in 2007 and 2009 amounting to P12 million.

In its 20-page decision, the dispositive part of which was read in court, the anti-graft court's First Division found Sabio guilty of two counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

He was sentenced to a jail term of at least 12 to 20 years and slapped with an accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

According to the facts of the case, the PCGG and the UCPB Leasing and Finance Corporations entered into two contracts for the lease of four vehicles in April 2007 worth P5.4 million and five vehicles at an unknown date worth P6.7 million.

Associate Graft Investigation Officer Corinne Joie Garillo, who conducted a fact-finding investigation of the case, testified that the contracts did not undergo public bidding, in violation of Commission on Audit Circular No. 85-55 and the Procurement Law.

Teresita Avante-Rosal, who was a PCGG Intelligence Office at the time of her testimony, also said there were "no bidding documents pertaining to the lease/lease purchase of vehicles because [they] never conducted any bidding process pertaining to the lease of vehicles for the period of 2006-2009."

Garillo added that "no funds [were] appropriated to the Commission for the purchase of motor vehicles for the year 2007, that for the years 2006-2009, the procurement of goods and services did not include the lease/lease purchase of vehicles; and the lease/lease purchase agreement."

In its ruling, the court said all the elements of graft are present in Sabio's cases.

"In the instant case, two points prove the fact that there was bad faith on the part of Sabio in entering into the subject contracts: (1) not undertaking the required procurement process, and (2), subjecting government funds to unnecessary expenditure without the pre-allocation and the necessity for the same," the court's decision read.

The court said the prosecution was also able to prove undue injury to the government in his cases.

During the promulgation of the decision, the court allowed Sabio to enjoy provisional liberty provided that he will post additional cash bond double the amount of the bailbond within five days.

Sabio, who will turn 82 in July, refused to comment on the decision that was read to him.

"I have nothing say," he told reporters in an interview at the Sandiganbayan.

His wife, Marlene, however, said her husband will appeal the court's decision.

"Of course, I'm sad. He's innocent," she said.

"Public service has always been the life of my husband. So whatever comes with that public service, he welcomes it," she added.

Aside from this case, Sabio was also charged three counts of Malversation of Public Funds and one count of Failure of Accountable Officer to Render Accounts for allegedly embezzling and failing to liquidate cash advances. —KBK/KVD, GMA News