Sandiganbayan convicts ex-Kalinga town mayor, wife for graft and bribery

 PDI file photo

MANILA, Philippines – A former mayor of Tabuk town in Kalinga, along with his wife, has been convicted by the Sandiganbayan of graft and bribery after requesting money from a construction firm to facilitate the advance payments.

In the decision from the Seventh Division last July 19, former Mayor Camilo Lammawin Jr. and wife Salud Imatong Lammawin were found guilty as it was proven that the amounts provided by the prosecution entered the accused’s bank accounts.

“First, the fact of the deposits in the amount of P400,000.00 and P120,000.00 to the respective accounts of the two accused is undisputed and is proven by the following evidence of the prosecution,” the decision, written by Associate Justice Georgina Hidalgo said.

According to the prosecution, the couple demanded money from Rodman Construction and Development Corporation (RCDC) twice — one on June 10, 2002, and another on October 18, 2002.

RCDC, through its treasurer Susana Rodriguez, initially deposited P400,000 — P100,000 of which went to Camilo’s bank account and the P300,000 to Salud’s. This was for the release of a check amounting to P2 million, which was the balance of initial payment for constructing the Tabuk Supply Water System Project.

The other transfer was worth P120,000 to Salud’s account, for the release of the check worth P1.732 million, also in relation to the water system project.

The accused’s camp presented a witness who claimed that these funds, a total of P520,000, were payments for a previous loan made by RCDC. It was supposedly for the augmentation of the construction firm’s funds.

However, Sandiganbayan noted that the presented evidence — handwritten acknowledge receipts — cannot prove such deals, especially since Camilo himself admitted that there was no written contract or deal for the loan.

The decision also considered the findings which showed that the release of the disbursement vouchers was made after the money entered into the couple’s bank accounts — as, in order to release the checks, Camilo’s signature as municipal mayor is required.

“The release of the checks […] made possible by the issuance of disbursement vouchers by accused Camilo in his official capacity as Mayor of the Municipality of Tabuk — was done after the amounts of P400,000.00 and PI20,000.00 were deposited to the respective accounts,” the anti-graft court noted.

“Thus, it can then be reasonably concluded that the receipt of the P400,000.00 and P120,000.00 by accused Camilo and Salud redounded to their benefit. The Court agrees with the Ombudsman’s disquisition,” it added.

Camilo and Salud will serve a jail sentence of six years and one month up to nine years for each count of graft; and two years, four months, and one day up to eight years and one day for each count of bribery. Both were slapped with two counts of graft and two counts of bribery.

They were also required to pay an amount of P1.2 million and P360,000 — thrice the value that they received from RCDC. Camilo and Salud — a former technologist of the Department of Agrarian Reform — are also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.