CONVICTED FOR GRAFT
The Sandiganbayan has convicted former Bombon Mayor Vicente Asido for graft and engaging in prohibited transactions and sentenced him to ten years in jail, serving as stern warning to local officials who have just assumed.
The case involved an illegal award in May 1997 of a supply contract to a firm owned and managed by Asido’s wife while he was mayor.
The prosecution had presented evidence showing that delivery of construction materials for the repair of the Bombon municipal building in 1997 was awarded to Bombon Agricultural and Hardware Supply, a firm owned and managed by his wife Corazon Zamora Asido.
Asido had tried to present a memorandum showing that his wife had already sold the firm to her cousin, Nuni Esperida, for P300,000.00 on February 26, 1997.
But the Sandiganbayan was not convinced that the sale was consummated before the bidding for the construction materials and that payment for P300,000.00 was actually made.
The Sandiganbayan also considered irrelevant the fact that Mrs. Asido’s firm submitted the lowest bid and that the award of the contract was a foregone conclusion.
The Sandiganbayan pointed out that then Mayor Asido intervened and took part in the awarding of the contract by signing the purchase orders.
Asido’s conviction could be the most signifi cant graft case involving a Camarines Sur official during the last few decades and is believed a timely admonition for mayors prone to violate the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act particularly in the procurement of supplies.
Asido still ran for mayor but lost in the last election.
