Friday, September 26, 2008 Mandaue to keep city engineer
THE Mandaue City Government will retain the services of City Engineer Antonio Sanchez despite having been convicted by the anti-graft court to six years and a month in jail.
“We will comply with the lawful order of the court upon its finality,” said City Administrator Briccio Boholst, who answered on Mayor Jonas Cortes’s behalf.
Boholst, a practicing lawyer, said there are still legal remedies that Sanchez may avail himself of — either ask the Sandiganbayan to reconsider its decision or seek an appeal from the Supreme Court if the first move is denied.
Sanchez, who was in Manila yesterday with his lawyer, had said that they will appeal the decision.
Out on bail
He will remain out on bail until the issue is resolved because the Sandiganbayan didn’t withdraw the bail he posted when the hearings started.
Boholst said the city engineer, who assumed his post in Mandaue City last April 2008, told them that he is not guilty and that he has reasons to support that he is not liable.
Boholst added that this is why Cortes and the other City officials are confident that Sanchez will prevail in the end.
Sanchez was found guilty of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for building a canal in a titled lot in 1998, without paying its owner through expropriation.
Sanchez was the city engineer then of Cebu City and the act, the Sandiganbayan said, gave unwarranted benefits to the City Government.
Authorization
“The Sandiganbayan did not give any importance to vital documents,” Sanchez had said, referring to a Cebu City Council resolution that authorized the construction.
Then mayor Alvin Garcia also gave the same authorization.
Sanchez also said that there was no government money involved, which was why he found it unfair for him to be convicted when he was just doing his job.
Lawyer Edgardo Labella, who was Sanchez’s counsel until he was elected Cebu City councilor in 2004, was surprised by the ruling and suggested that Sanchez immediately file an appeal.
He added that the authorization from the City Council, then mayor Garcia and barangay officials of Cogon-Pardo should have been sufficient to show lack of criminal intent on the part of Sanchez. (OCP)
