Friday, August 06, 2004 Ex-mayor, 3 others guilty of graft: Sandigan By Jun Feliciano
THE Sandiganbayan declared former City Mayor Vitaliano Agan, former City Treasurer Edgardo Francisco (retired), City Engineer Luis Vicente Despalo, and building division chief Engr. Robustiano Sinciong guilty of graft and corruption.
City Mayor Celso Lobregat confirmed having received a copy of the order from the Sandiganbayan. Despalo and Sinciong were slapped with a 90-day suspension.
Lobregat revealed that Despalo and Sinciong expressing their willingness to serve the three-month suspension period instead of contesting it.
"I received their letters stating they opted not to contest the decision and instead serve the suspension order," Lobregat disclosed.
On the part of former City Mayor Agan and former City Treasurer Francisco, Lobregat considered their cases as "good as closed" as both are no longer active in government service.
Lobregat weighed its verdict on the findings that the accused were charged for disregarding the required specifications in the city's road improvement projects, identifying in particular the deteriorating condition of the Pasonanca road due to its quality, which is discovered as below par.
Lobregat said the case against the four accused officials has dragged on since it was filed during the administration of Agan, however, failed to name who were the complainants in the anti-graft case against the accused city officials.
Sun.Star tried to reach Despalo but to no avail although it was gathered that he was in-charge of the road projects in the city under then City Engineer Vivencio Patagoc during Agan's early term.
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