Former Siquijor officials guilty in liquid fertilizer case

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 7) – The Sandiganbayan has found former Lazi, Siquijor mayor Orville Fua guilty of graft over the alleged anomalous purchase of liquid fertilizer in 2004.

In its decision handed down on Thursday, the anti-graft court’s Third Division also convicted Fua’s co-accused former Lazi municipal engineer Natalio Jumawan Jr., bids and awards committee member Sue Agnes Castillon, treasurer Rose Marie Tomogsoc, and private individual Merlyn Lu.

“They are hereby sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of six (6) years and one (1) month as minimum to ten (10) years as maximum and to suffer the penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office,” the court said.

They were charged for entering a contract with Mangopina Trading Company, Inc. without public bidding for the purchase of over 2,000 bottles of liquid fertilizer worth almost ₱5 million.

“The records of this case exceedingly demonstrate that they hastily conducted the subject procurement in blatant violation of the applicable law and rules,” the court said.

The court said the accused acted with manifest partiality and gave unwarranted benefit to Mangopina.

Meanwhile, former Lazi planning and development coordinator Teodoro Gom-Os Jumadla Jr., and accountant Ana Marie Leilani Monte were cleared due to the prosecution’s failure to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.