Nueva Ecija municipal exec convicted of graft

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former municipal engineer from Alfonso Castañeda, Nueva Vizcaya, of graft and falsification charges.

In a 33-page decision, Romeo Beltran was sentenced up to eight years in jail for graft and another eight years and one day for falsification in connection to his involvement in the anomalous P10-million construction of the Batu-Abuyo farm-to-market road in 2002.

He was also barred from holding public office.

Beltran’s case stemmed from his involvement in the P10-million payment to KAICO 25 Realty Development Corp. in 2002 for the construction of the Batu-Abuyo road in Barangay Lublub, Alfonso Castañeda.

The company was paid although only 3.87 percent of the road was completed.—Patricia Denise M. Chiu