Sandiganbayan finds Floirendo guilty for graft

DAVAO. The sixth division of Sandiganbayan sentenced on Wednesday, August 26, former Davao Del Norte representative Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr. to six up to eight years of imprisonment for graft practices. (Contributed)
DAVAO. The sixth division of Sandiganbayan sentenced on Wednesday, August 26, former Davao Del Norte representative Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr. to six up to eight years of imprisonment for graft practices. (Contributed)

THE sixth division of Sandiganbayan sentenced on Wednesday, August 26, former Davao Del Norte representative Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr. to six up to eight years of imprisonment for graft practices.

Sandiganbayan said the prosecution proved Floirendo’s “guilt beyond reasonable doubt” of violating Section 3(h) of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the "Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act" due to his involvement in the joint venture agreement between the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and Tagum Agricultural Development Company (Tadeco).

Voting 4-1, the court’s sixth division sentenced Floirendo for holding unlawful financial interests in Tadeco, a banana plantation company doing business with the BuCor during his term as lawmaker.

Floirendo, who owned most of Tadeco’s shares of stocks, served as the Representative of the 2nd District of Davao Del Norte from 2001 to 2004.

Tadeco signed a contract with BuCor on July 11, 1969, for the former’s right to use and develop a banana plantation of 3,000 hectares within the Davao Penal Colony, which would last 25 years. The contract was renewed on September 26, 1979, followed by the most recent agreement on May 21, 2003.

Based on the new contract, BuCor will receive a guaranteed annual production share of P26,541,809 as well as profit shares, and this amount will increase by 10 percent every five years just as long as Tadeco is allowed to use 5,308.36 hectares of land owned by the government.

Floirendo was reported to be holding 75,000 shares of stocks in Tadeco.

The court said this was a violation of Section 3(h) of RA 3019 since local officials are prohibited from having a financial or pecuniary interest “in any business, contract or transaction in connection with which he intervenes or takes part in his official capacity.”

He was also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Floirendo, as of Wednesday evening, August 26, has not released a statement following the court ruling.

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