SC upholds conviction of ex-Dapitan City mayor for secret funds misuse

Supreme Court. File photo.

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of former Dapitan City Mayor Joseph Cedrick Ruiz over the corruption and misuse of almost P1 million in confidential and intelligence funds (CIF).

In a 32-page decision written by Associate Justice Ramon Paul Hernando, the SC’s first division affirmed the Sandiganbayan’s ruling of finding Ruiz guilty of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code on malversation of public funds.

READ: Judge disbarred for graft in stint as mayor

Apart from being perpetually disqualified from holding public office, the SC also charged Ruiz of up to eight years in prison for violation of Republic Act (RA) 3019 and up to eight years and eight months in prison for malversion.

Furthermore, Ruiz was ordered to pay a fine of P950,000 equal to the misused funds.

The decision stemmed from when Ruiz served as Dapitan City Mayor from 1998 to 2001 where weeks before the end of his term, he ordered Deputy Chief of Police Pepe Nortal to request a cash advance of P1 million from the city’s entire 2001 confidential funds, supposedly to address post-election violence.

Nortal turned the money over to Ruiz, who in turn only gave him P50,000 for police operation while failing to account for the rest of the funds.

This prompted Nortal to file a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman.

According to the SC in its decision, if Ruiz had genuinely intended to use the funds to address post-election violence, he should not have requested the full amount allocated for the entire year.

“There is no doubt that the cash advance made against the CIF caused undue injury on the part of Dapitan City. The release of the entire budget allotted thereto for 2001 depleted the intelligence funds of the local government for the remaining months of the year. Surely, Dapitan City would have to make a realignment of its available funds, which it should not have done in the first place, had the entire 2001 CIF not been disbursed,” the SC decision read.

“Thus, the Sandiganbayan correctly convicted petitioner for violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019,” it added.

Meanwhile, the SC also held that Ruiz committed malversation when he used the confidential funds for personal gain.