The Sandiganbayan on Monday junked the motion filed by Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. to dismiss the case of conflict of interest he is facing over a P1.5-million sponsorship for the National Chess Federation of the Philippines when he was the Local Water Utilities Administration chief in 2010.
The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division ruled in favor of the prosecution that there was “sufficient evidence to sustain accused’s violation of the conflict of interest rule.”
In 2010, Pichay launched a chess event named after him and voted for the approval of a P1.5-million donation for the “Chairman Prospero A. Pichay Cup International Chess Sponsorship.”
“As such, there is more than prima facie evidence of Pichay’s conflict of interest…because the National Chess Federation of the Philippines of which he was the president was the recipient of the P1.5-million LWUA sponsorship grant,” the resolution read.
“Notably, the sponsored chess tournament was held in his name and honor from which he would logically derive a personal advantage or benefit, gain or loss, materially or otherwise.”
A hearing on the main case is set today.