By Marisol Bo-oc | 08:40 PM February 23, 2023
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its earlier decision against a former Bohol town mayor found guilty of graft for hiring losing candidates in 2013.
In its 8-page resolution dated Feb. 21, 2023 and written by Associate Justice Karl Miranda, the anti-graft court said the motion for reconsideration filed by former Panglao Mayor Leonila Paredes-Montero last Nov. 11, 2022, was “denied for lack of merit.”
It also upheld its earlier decision to sentence the accused to up to 24 years of imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from public office.
Last October 2022, the Sandiganbayan has convicted a former Panglao town mayor on graft charges and sentenced her up to 24 years in prison and ordered to pay P1. 3 million to the municipal government for unlawful appointments of consultants in July 2013.
Montero appointed four losing candidates in the 2013 elections as consultants earning P25,000.00 per month. Records showed that Montero hired Noel Homarchuelos as municipal administrator/consultant for administrative services; Danilo Reyes as public information consultant; Apolinar Fudalan as Public Employment Service Office Coordinator/IT consultant; and Fernando Penales as infrastructure/engineering consultant.
The consultants were hired on a job order basis to serve the mayor without executing any contract of service or issuance of any appointment paper duly reviewed and approved by the Sangguniang Bayan.