The Sandiganbayan Second Division has convicted former Barugo Mayor Juliana Acuin Villasin of Leyte of graft case involving the irregular purchase of fertilizers worth P1.87 million back in 2004.
She was sentenced to six to eight years imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Meanwhile, her co-accused, former municipal agriculturist Reynaldo Agner Bodo and municipal accountant Aluino Otibar Ala, were acquitted by the anti-graft court due to reasonable doubt.
The graft charge stemmed from the unwarranted benefit given to Bals Enterprises for the procurement of 3,900 liters of Fil-Ocean liquid fertilizer worth P1,879,090.92 even without the participation of the municipality’s bids and awards committee (BAC).
Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act was violated because of the reference to the brand name Fil-Ocean in the invitation to bid. (Czarina Nicole Ong Ki)
