Napoles found guilty of 8 graft, malversation raps; given 64 yrs in jail

Janet Lim-Napoles—INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Janet Napoles, the alleged mastermind behind the pork barrel scam, is found guilty of eight charges of graft and malversation, according to Sandiganbayan on Friday.

Napoles, together with former National Agribusiness Corporation (Nabcor) officials Rhodora Mendoza, Victor Cacal, and Maria Ninez Guañizo, were also found guilty of graft and malversation charges.

Napoles was proven to have violated Republic Act (RA) 3019 or Anti-graft and Practices Act.

“The court finds accused Rhodora B. Mendoza, Maria Ninez P. Guanizo, Victor Roman C. Cacal, and Janet L. Napoles guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Section 3(e) of RA 3019, as amended, and are hereby sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of six years and one month, as a minimum, to 10 years, as maximum, and to suffer perpetual disqualification from holding public office,” reads the decision from the Special Second Division of the anti-graft court.

Napoles and the Nabcor officials were found guilty of four counts of corruption, and four counts of malversation of public funds.

Collectively, the charges translate to 64 years of imprisonment at the minimum and 82 years at most.

Sandiganbayan also ordered Napoles to pay government P41 million in damages.

Each malversation charge requires Napoles to pay the equivalent amount of money involved in the criminal offense.

Meanwhile, former South Cotabato Representative Arthur Pingoy Jr. was acquitted of graft and malversation charges in the same court decision.

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