Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 30) – The Sandiganbayan has convicted Janet Lim-Napoles, former Davao Del Norte Rep. Arrel Olaño, and others of graft, malversation, and bribery in relation to the misuse of the solon’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) worth ₱7.72 million in 2007 when he was still in Congress.
EXPLAINER: What you need to know about the PDAF scam
In a decision promulgated on June 30, the graft court found Napoles, said to be the mastermind behind the scam, Olaño, Technology and Livelihood Resource Center employee (TRC) Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana, each guilty in three cases of graft and three cases of malversation.
Two private individuals linked to non-government organization controlled by Napoles were likewise convicted in the court’s decision, namely: Evelyn De Leon of the Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. (PSDFI) who was convicted on two counts of graft and two counts of malversation; and Mylene Encarnacion of the Countrywide Agri and Rural Economic Development Foundation, Inc. (CARED) who was convicted in one case each of graft and malversation.
The convictions stemmed from Olaño’s endorsement of the PSDFI and CARED as project partners back in 2007. They then assisted in implementing livelihood projects for barangays throughout the former representative’s legislative district. These projects were then funded through Olaño’s PDAF.
Napoles, Olaño, and Lacsamana were ordered to return a total of ₱15,440,000 to the government, or twice the amount misused. They were sentenced to six to 10 years for each count of graft and 10 to 16 years for each count of malversation.
De Leon was ordered to return to the government ₱11,660,000. Encarnacion was asked to pay ₱3,780,000 in indemnity.
Olaño, a congressman from 2001 to 2010, was also convicted of one count of direct bribery after the court found that he had accepted a ₱3,175,000 bribe for his endorsement of non-government organizations controlled by Napoles.
He was also slapped with a fine of ₱9,525,000 and will face an additional four to nine year prison imprisonment on top of the sentencing for his graft and malversation charges.
Meanwhile, former Department of Budget and Management officials Mario Relampagos, Rosario Nuñez, Lalaine Paule, and Marilou Bare; former TRC officials Dennis Cunanan, Francisco Figura, Marivic Jover, and Consuelo Espiritu were acquitted in all graft and malversation cases as the prosecution failed to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
In 2019, the Sandiganbayan First Division affirmed Napoles’ plunder conviction for the misuse of P224 million of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.’s PDAF. and sentenced her to 40 years in prison.
She was also convicted on two counts of graft and two counts of malversation in relation to the misuse of the late former Davao Del Sur 1st district Rep. Douglas Cagas’ PDAF.
However, she was recently acquitted in 16 counts of graft over the misuse of the PDAF funds of Revilla.
