Sandiganbayan (PNA file photo)
MANILA – Two Camarines Norte village officials have been convicted by the Sandiganbayan for the irregular purchase of a van without public bidding in 2008.
In a decision dated July 1 by Associate Justice Efren N. Dela Cruz and recently published online, the Sandiganbayan First Division affirmed the Daet, Camarines Norte Regional Trial Court Branch 39 conviction of former Barangay Lag-on Chair Agustin Ocampo and his councilor, Carlito Aduana.
The lower court had sentenced them to six to 12 years for violation of Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The court said although an actual bidding was made for a Mitsubishi Delica van (XNA 867) on June 30, 2008, it was done 24 days after the actual purchase.
It was on that date that Ocampo issued the check of PHP250,000.
"The bidding was indeed a mere afterthought to give a semblance of regularity to an otherwise irregular and invalid transaction. What is clearly established is that at the time the appellants actually purchased the van, a valid public bidding has not yet been conducted," the court said.
The two, the court said, conspired in the rigging of the bidding process and made it appear that the bidding was competitive, when in fact, they knew beforehand who would be the winning bidder since they already paid him even before the bidding commenced.
A notice of eligibility to the seller of the van was also issued by the two even without required documents such as a Bureau of Internal Revenue-received financial statement, tax returns, and tax clearance. (PNA)
