Ex-village chief gets 82-year jail term for molasses theft

BACOLOD CITY—The Bacolod Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Wednesday sentenced a 59-year-old former village councilor to 82 years imprisonment for stealing P250,000 worth of molasses from a firm in Talisay City.

Bacolod RTC Judge George Patriarca found Henry Vela Discutido guilty of five counts of qualified theft.

Discutido, who was then councilor of Barangay Dos Hermanas, Talisay, was charged with stealing 102 metric tons of molasses worth P254,275.43 from Nov. 29, 2004 to Dec. 22, 2004.

Discutido allowed the withdrawals of molasses without proper documentation and authority from top management of the First Farmers Holding Corp. (FFHC).

The court added that Discutido abused his authority as staffer in charge of FFHC molasses distribution when he authorized and facilitated the withdrawals of the molasses in favor of Cartine Company Inc.

Judge Patriarca said Discutido declined an audit of his molasses transactions, which was inconsistent with his plea of innocence.