MANILA – The Sandiganbayan has meted imprisonment and fines to two local officials in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija for demanding and accepting PHP300,000 from a local firm in consideration for the immediate passage of a resolution authorizing the construction of cell sites in the city in 2013.
In a 63-page decision dated October 20 and released on Thursday, Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez of the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division has sentenced Cabanatuan Sangguniang Panglungsod (City Council) member Angelito Saclolo Jr. and council secretary Alfredo G. Ortaleza up to eight years in prison and a fine of PHP900,000 for direct bribery and solicitation.
“The prosecution established beyond reasonable doubt that the accused Saclolo and Ortaleza solicited PHP440,000 and after negotiations to reduce the amount, accepted PHP300,000 in the course of their official duties from Richworld Aire and Technologies Corp.,” the court said.
At that time, the firm was securing a locational clearance from the city for cell site towers to be put up at Bakero and Sapang villages.
The complainants said the amount was requested during a meeting in a local restaurant by the accused as an “SOP” or “unofficial amount” paid to local officials to accommodate applications and to issue a resolution.
Saclolo was then the city council’s concurrent chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Communications.
An ordinance No. 013-2013 was subsequently given to the firm who were later informed by the Office of the City Planning and Development Office that a city council resolution was not necessary for the issuance of a locational clearance.
The council officials, however, refused to return the SOP.