Conviction of AFP generals in RSBS scam stays

The Sandiganbayan has denied the appeals filed by former top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Retirement and Separation Benefits System (AFP-RSBS) who were convicted in July for the complex crime of malversation through falsification.

In a 13-page resolution, the antigraft court’s Special Second Division affirmed the guilty verdict for five individuals led by retired Brig. Gen. Jose S. Ramiscal Jr.

This sustained their sentences of 14 to 20 years’ imprisonment and the directive to indemnify the government of P250.31 million.

Also convicted were AFP-RSBS legal department head Julian Alzaga, documentation department head Manuel Satuito, and private defendants Elizabeth Liang and Jesus Garcia, representatives of Concord Resources Inc.

The verdict arose from the execution of a fraudulent deed of sale to make it appear that the AFP-RSBS paid P341.34 million for four parcels of land in Barrio Makiling, Calamba City, Laguna. This was kept in the office’s records.

This was found to be overstated because the value of the land was only declared to be P91.02 million before the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The prosecution held the P250-million discrepancy to be the damage caused to the government.

The defendants in their appeal insisted there was “no clear and convincing evidence of conspiracy” among them as the transaction went through normal processes and was duly approved.