Business manager off the hook for graft

The Sandiganbayan has acquitted the business manager of a consultancy group of her graft charge for allegedly giving P104,162.31 to the now-deceased mayor of Barobo, Surigao del Sur, in exchange for a P25-million feasibility study contract 17 years ago.

In a 56-page decision, the court’s Fourth Division said the prosecution failed to prove the complicity of Joselyn Cabo, the business manager of Orient Integrated Development Consultancy Inc., when she gave the money to late Mayor Bonifacio Balahay in August 2000.

State prosecutors claimed the money was given “in consideration” of the World Bank-funded feasibility study earlier conducted for the town’s community-based resource management project.

The Sandiganbayan noted that Gabo’s receipt of the bank check and approval of the disbursement “cannot establish conspiracy” to violate Section 3(b) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. —Vince F. Nonato