MANILA – A former Camarines Sur mayor was sentenced to up to 10 years imprisonment by the Sandiganbayan in connection with irregularities in the lease of portions of the town's municipal public market eight years ago.
For violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, former Baao mayor Melquiades Gaite was also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.
The 47-page decision penned March 4 and uploaded recently said Gaite gave unwarranted benefit and advantage to a private firm, Lamvert Consolidated Complex Development Corp. Inc. (LCC), by entering into a 25-year lease contract for portions of the Baao Public Market.
The lessee, under a municipal ordinance, was required to pay a deposit of PHP1.719 million for the 1,704-square-meter lease to be spent exclusively for the development of the market and its facilities.
The Commission on Audit however said no such deposit was made.
"While the prosecution was unable to establish that the Municipality of Baao, Camarines Sur suffered any damage or injury as a result of the 25-year lease contract, it sufficiently showed that the LCC enjoyed unwarranted benefit as a result of the gross inexcusable negligence of the accused," the court said.
The extended lease contract was granted by Gaite to LCC without prior authorization from the Sanggunian (council) as required by law, the court said.
"Such benefit is unwarranted and unjustified, as there was no law or ordinance existing at the time of the execution of the contract allowing the subject 25-year term," it said. (PNA)
