9 police execs convicted in P38-M scam

The Sandiganbayan on Friday found former police Chief Supt. Everlino Nartatez and eight others guilty of graft in connection with the ghost deliveries of police equipment and uniforms worth P38 million in the early 90s.

Aside from Nartatez, the former logistics chief of the Philippine National Police, those who were found to have violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were: Sr. Supt. Alejandro Espiritu Jr., Supt. Obedia Espena, Supt. Alejandro Carmello, Chief Insp. Jose de Vera, Chief Insp. Adolfo Pamplona Sr., Sr. Insp. Lloyd Cawan, Sr. Insp. Leo Marzan, and PO3 Ramon Lihay-Lihay.

In a 44-page decision promulgated on Friday, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division sentenced the respondents to six to 10 years of imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from public office. They were also told to pay the government P38 million, which represented the losses it suffered.

Those who were acquitted were Sr. Insp. Eduardo Octavio, Sr. Insp. Alfredo Lotho, and Bartolome Castillo for lack of evidence that they participated in the anomalous use of government money intended to buy combat clothing and individual equipment for policemen in the field.

The Sandiganbayan dropped the charges against former Dir. Gen. Cesar Nazareno, Tomas Flores, Belinda Abedendario, and SPO4 Ernesto Pillado Sr. The four, however, had already died. (Nazareno passed away in 2006, Pillado in 2005, Flores in 2004, and Abedendario in 1998.)

The charges against the PNP top brass stemmed from their irregular purchase of police boots and uniforms in 1992.

According to court documents, the officials approved the disbursement of these funds and signed invoices, when “in truth and in fact … no such purchases for (combat clothing and individual equipment) items were made.”

Despite the presence of purchase orders and other documents, subsequent inquiries with the PNP regional commands that were supposed to receive the items showed that there were no deliveries.

The court also noted that the officials “split” the purchase orders (PO) worth P500,000 each to several suppliers, which enabled them to avoid inspections and approval of higher authority.