Balanga City, Bataan—The Sandiganbayan has acquitted current Provincial Board Member Rolly Tigas, the former Samal town mayor, of graft charges over a purchase of land for a public market in Samal in 2005.
In a 15-page decision dated May 25, the fourth division of the anti-graft court granted the demurrer to evidence of Tigas and acquitted him. The decision also lifted the hold-departure order against the former mayor as well.
The court also cleared Samal ex-councilor Rafael Guinto but sentenced Samal councilors Clemenco Abella and Hercules Llanda to six-year prison terms.
Abella is still on the Samal Sangguniang Bayan, while Llanda won as barangay chairman of Daan-Bago East in Samal in the May 14 elections.
The Sandiganbayan decision showed that the municipal government of Samal purchased two parcels of land with an area of 32,000 square meters at P90 per square meter for a total of P2.923 million on May 6, 2005.
The agreed price between the lot owners and the municipality was only P2.5 million, but the deed of absolute sale indicated the purchase price was P2.923 million.
The four officials were charged “for requesting and receiving for their own benefit the amount of P513,000.”
Abella and Llanda allegedly received P423,000 from the excess of the agreed purchase price, with P90,000 as the attorney-in-fact’s supposed share in the payment of capital gains tax.
“Accused Abella and Llanda received said amounts without issuing any acknowledgment receipt whether official or otherwise,” the decision said.
The court concluded that neither Tigas nor Guinto took part in the transaction.
Abella and Llanda may still appeal to the Court of Appeals, while the acquittal of Tigas and Guinto is final, the anti-graft court said.