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MANILA – The Sandiganbayan on Friday found Surigao Del Sur 1st District Representative Prospero Pichay Jr. and two others guilty of corruption due to anomalies involving P1.5 million in sponsorship of chess tournaments in 2010.
The Sandiganbayan 5th Division sentenced Pichay, who was acting president of the Local Water Services Administration (LWUA) at the time, to between 6 and 8 years in prison for the irregular use of government funds for a chess tournament under his Name.
The anti-bribery court also found former LWUA Acting Deputy Administrator Wilfredo Feleo and former Senior Deputy Administrator Emmanuel Malicdem guilty.
The court noted that the LWUA Board of Trustees unanimously approved the agency’s 2010 operating budget, which contained a substantial allocation for sponsorship of chess events.
He added that there was a conflict of interest on Pichay’s part when P1.5 million in LWUA funds were diverted to private activity, the 2nd. President of the International Chess Tournament of the Jr. Prospero A. Pichay Cup.
“Apparently, such an interest is flatly opposed to his duties as Acting President of the LWUA-BOT to safeguard LWUA resources and ensure that they are spent in accordance with relevant clerical and executive emissions,” the court said.
The decision was drafted by Associate Judge Maryann Corpus-Mañalac, with the concurrence of Division President Rafael Lagos and Associate Judge María Theresa Mendoza-Arcega.
He also noted that Feleo recommended approval of the sponsorship request, while Malicdem approved it immediately, resulting in the release of the check payable to the Philippine National Chess Federation.
The court also said in its decision that the 3 defendants will be jointly liable for reimbursing the P1.5 million, the amount of the sponsorship grant, plus 6 percent annual interest.
Pichay was also found guilty of violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for public officials and employees and was imposed a fine of P5,000.
Pichay, Prospero Pichay, Sandiganbayan, Pichay chess tournament, Local Water Services Administration, Pichay sponsorship chess anomaly
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