THE Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former Davao del Sur governor and five others to a jail term of 24 years and four months for four counts of graft in connection with the irregular purchase of five service vehicles 13 years ago.
In a 17-page decision, the First Division found ex-governor Benjamin Bautista Jr., ex-accountant Richard Martel, ex-general services officer Allan Putong, ex-treasurer Abel Guiñares, ex-budget officer Victoria Mier, and provincial board member Edgar Gan guilty beyond reasonable of the offenses, also meting out an additional penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office in the future.
According to court informants, Bautista is running for vice mayor in one of the towns in Davao del Sur under the Liberal Party.
Martel, Guiñares, Mier and Gan were all members of the bids and awards committee that approved the vehicles’ purchase.
Associate Justice Rafael Lagos penned the decision with Associate Justices Efren de la Cruz and Rodolfo Ponferrada concurring.
Based on court records, the provincial officials authorized the purchase of two Toyota Hilux 4×4 pickups at P2.5 million on Jan. 24, 2003; a Mitsubishi L300 Exceed van at P878,919.50 on Feb. 18, 2003; a Ford Ranger XLT 4×4 pickup at P1 million on July 15, 2003, and a Ford Ranger XLT 4×4 at P1.218 million on July 21, 2003 in a span of six months.
“The evidence clearly point out that the five vehicles were purchased by the Province of Davao without any public bidding as Bautista and the Bids and Awards Committee chose the suppliers through direct purchase route,” the anti-graft court’s resolution read.