(UPDATE) CONVICTED pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles and three others have been found guilty by the Sandiganbayan for misusing former Davao del Sur representative Marc Douglas Cagas IV’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
The PDAF was a discretionary fund for members of the Philippine Congress, commonly known as the “pork barrel.” In a per curiam decision by the anti-graft court’s special division, which was promulgated on Friday, Napoles was found guilty on two counts of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and two counts of Malversation of Public Funds under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code. The court determined that Cagas’ PDAF was released and then diverted to fictitious projects run by Napoles’ foundations — the People’s Organization for Progress and Development Foundation, Inc., and the Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation, Inc. This action caused financial injury to the government and provided benefits to her foundations.
The special third division is composed of Associate Justices Maria Theresa Gomez-Estoesta, Zaldy Trespeses, and Ronald Moreno., This news data comes from:http://gyglfs.com
Napoles was sentenced to a maximum of 55 years in prison and a fine of P7.55 million, which is equivalent to the amount released by Cagas and diverted to the fraudulent projects. She was also ordered to pay the government an additional P4.85 million, with legal interest of six percent per year until the full amount is paid.
The three others who were convicted alongside Napoles are former Technology Resources Center (TRC) deputy director Dennis Cunanan, former TRC Group manager Maria Rosalida Lacsamana, and Rhodora Mendoza, former director for financial management services of the National Agribusiness Corp. (Nabcor).
Napoles gets 55 years for another ‘pork’ case
All three were found guilty of one count of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and one count of Malversation of Public Funds under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code. They face a minimum of 16 years to a maximum of 24 years in prison. Cunanan and Lacsamana were each ordered to pay a P2.7 million fine and indemnity, while Mendoza was ordered to pay P4.85 million.
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