The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) announced yesterday the decision of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) to sentence two officials of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of up to 23 years of prison term for graft and corruption.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said Ramil Rodriguez and Elizabeth Sobrevilla, officer-in-charge and chief cashier, respectively, of the NBI satellite office in Quezon City were found guilty by the court for malversation.
Lawyer Mary Rawnlse Lopez, acting director of the Public Information and Media Relations Bureau of the OMB said Sobrevilla and Rodriguez “were meted a jail term of one year to five years for violation of (the anti-graft law’s) Section 3(e); and 10 years and one day as minimum to 18 years, eight months and one day as maximum for the crime of Malversation.”
Records showed that NBI operatives conducted 2006 a surprise cash count at the satellite office and discovered that several booklets of used original receipts were kept inside the vault but with no corresponding cash payments.
The anti-graft czar said OMB prosecutors were able to establish that the accused failed to account for 120 booklets, or 8,195 pieces of official receipts and remit the collection of clearance fees amounting to P942,425.
In the 20-page decision penned by presiding Judge Manuel Sta. Cruz, Jr., the court said that Rodriguez and Sobrevilla conspired in carrying out the fraudulent scheme. (JUN RAMIREZ)