MANILA – Former Capiz governor Vicente Bermejo was found guilty by the Sandiganbayan of violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees in relation to a purchase of vehicles without public bidding.
Bermejo was originally charged with violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, or Republic Act 3019.
Section 3 lists “corrupt practices of public officers” and number (3) of this section is about acts “causing any undue injury to any party, including the government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.”
However, according to the anti-graft court’s 6th Division, “considering the lack of documents pertaining to the acquisition of the subject vehicles”, it allowed Bermejo to make a plea bargain.
Bermejo pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of violation of Section 7(a) of Republic Act 6713, or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Section 7(a) prohibits public officials and employees from, directly or indirectly, having any financial or material interest in any transaction requiring the approval of their office.
The Sandiganbayan ordered the former Capiz governor to pay P5,000 as penalty over the purchase of three Mitsubishi Pajeros and an Isuzu Elf Manlift Truck amounting to P1.95 million without public bidding in 2007.
The check payment for the vehicles was made payable to Bermejo “as reimbursement,” documents from the Commission on Audit showed. The court said the name of Bermejo on the checks “already proves that the purchase was against government procurement rules.”
Bermejo initially asked the Sandiganbayan to dismiss the graft case filed against him for “inordinate delay.” He pointed out that his rights to due process and speedy disposition of cases were violated because it took the Ombudsman eight years from the time then-Roxas City mayor Alan Celino filed a letter-complaint in September 2010.
The formal charges were filed at the Sandiganbayan only in April 2018.
The Sandiganbayan, however, rejected his motion to dismiss./PN
