MANGYAN DOT NET: Virtual City of Mindorenos!

MANILA, Philippines—Rodolfo Valencia and ALfonso Umali Jr. have moved on to become lawmakers, but their past acts as provincial officials of Oriental Mindoro nearly 15 years ago continue to hound them.

For granting a P2.5-million government loan to an owner of a ferryboat in 1993, Valencia, Umali and three others Tuesday were found guilty of graft by the Sandiganbayan.

The anti-graft court’s Fourth Division sentenced Valencia, Umali, Pedrito Reyes, Jose Enriquez and Jose Leynes, all provincial officials of Oriental Mindoro in 1993, to six years and one month to 10 years in prison.

It also imposed an “accessory penalty” perpetually disqualifying them from holding public office.

The anti-graft court also found the loan recipient—Alfredo Atienza—guilty of graft and meted out the same term of imprisonment on him.

“To apply government funds for the use of a private individual is a brazen violation of a prohibition mandated by law, that public funds shall not be applied to private purposes,” said the ruling penned by Associate Justice Jose Hernandez.

Associate Justices Gregory Ong and Samuel Martires concurred with the decision.

We are inviting all MANGYAN CHESS CLUB Members to register and test drive the new website for PHILIPPINE ONLINE CHESS COMMUNITY.

 www.pinoy-chess.com

The Sandiganbayan has lowered the penalty of a policeman from Oriental Mindoro, who shot dead a bank robber, from murder to homicide and likewise reduced his sentence from 12 years to just over two years imprisonment maximum, when the anti-graft court held that the accused was in the legitimate performance of his duty as a police officer to pursue and arrest the bank robbers.

However, the accused-appellant, SPO1 Ruben Magluyan, a member of the Philippine National Police (PNP) assigned at the Calapan Police Station, had exceeded the fulfillment of his duty when he shot the “unarmed” robber in the body, and not in the legs. Due to this, the Sandiganbayan had to impose a penalty of homicide.

Magluyan shot dead one of three robbers identified as Celso Cabatay, during a chase of the suspects after thieves robbed the First Allied Development Bank in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro in 1993.

In Jan. 5, 2007, the Regional Trial Court Branch 40, of Oriental Mindoro, found Magluyan guilty of murder qualified with treachery and sentenced him to suffer imprisonment ranging from six years minimum to a maximum of 12 years and one day. He was arrested and put to prison in the provincial jail of Calapan, with his bail cancelled.

CALAPAN CITY – Another “feather” has been added to Oriental Mindoro’s cap, after the Oriental Mindoro provincial police office was adjudged as 2007’s “best PPO of the year” award for the whole Region 4-B or MIMAROPA Region (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan).

A year-long consistency in police operations and administration, coupled with community relations in Oriental Mindoro gave the “Mindoro’s finest” the points needed to be adjudged as last year’s top police unit in the region.

The award was given during the 17th Philippine National Police (PNP) anniversary held recently at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba City, Laguna.