MANILA – The Sandiganbayan has convicted former Agusan del Sur town mayor and his brother for irregularities in the use of PHP1 million in public funds originally meant for the rehabilitation of a farm-to-market road.
In its 52-page decision dated April 22, the anti-graft court's Seventh Division sentenced former Trento, Agusan del Sur mayor Johnmark Billanes and his brother, Romeo, to up to eight years imprisonment for the graft charges.
The two were also banned from public office.
Johnmark was also fined PHP500,000.
The Billanes were charged by the Ombudsman in 2016 for a transaction in 2012 where the mayor approved the purchase of the lot with an area of 7,775 square meters of his brother.
The lot was supposedly to be used for the construction of a rice processing complex, even when the said lot was then encumbered in a bank.
The transaction did not consider other lands offered for purchase.
Johnmark approved the payment to Romeo of PHP1 million from the appropriation for the rehabilitation of a farm-to-market road without any corresponding ordinance realigning the fund.
"By using the funds already appropriated for the rehabilitation of the NRJ Poblacion-Sitio Mahayhay Farm-to-Market Road in order to fund the purchase of his brother's lot, Johnmark deprived his constituents in the area of efficient means to bring their farm products to market and improve their income by cutting transportation time and costs. The fact that farm-to-market road constructions are considered priority investments of LGUs (local government units) speaks volumes about their importance," the tribunal said. (PNA)
