Four gov’t officials guilty of fraud in Negros Occidental — Sandiganbayan
Map of Negros Occidental | INQIRER.net
BACOLOD CITY — The Sandiganbayan found two current and two retired officials of Sipalay City, Negros Occidental guilty of “frauds against the public treasury” in connection with a heavy equipment lease contract with a private firm in 2008.
The Sandiganbayan, in a decision promulgated on July 15, ordered Sipalay City treasurer Renato Manilla, engineer Porferio Calderon Jr., retired budget officer Fernando Balbin, and general services officer Elizer Balbin to pay a fine of P40,000 each.
On July 20, 2021, Manilla, Balbin, Calderon, and Balbin filed a “Motion for Leave to Plead Guilty to Lesser 0ffense” of frauds against the public treasury and similar offenses as defined under paragraph 1, Article 213 of the Revised Penal Code.
In its comment dated July 21, 2021, the prosecution manifested its agreement to the accused’s offer to plea bargain.
