Napoles gets 66 to 102 years for ‘pork’ misuse

MANILA, Philippines — Businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles was sentenced to 66 up to 102 years in prison for multiple counts of graft and malversation of public funds in connection with the alleged misuse of P20.91 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel of former South Cotabato Second District representative Arthur Pingoy Jr.

In a 57-page decision promulgated Oct. 20, the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division found Napoles guilty of four counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and another four counts of malversation of public funds under Article 2017 of the Revised Penal Code.

For the graft offense, she was sentenced to six up to 10 years of imprisonment for each count or a total of 24 to 40 years for the four cases.

For the malversation offense, she was sentenced to 10 up 12 years of imprisonment for one count, 12 up to 18 years for another count and 10 to 16 years for each of the remaining two counts or a total of 42 to 62 years for the four cases.

Aside from imprisonment, Napoles and her convicted co-accused were also ordered to individually or jointly reimburse the government a total of P20.91 million, equivalent to the amount of public funds found to have been malversed.

This was on top of another P20.91 million that they must jointly or individually pay in fines.

The court also ordered their perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Convicted with Napoles for three counts of graft and three counts of malversation was fellow private respondent Evelyn de Leon, president of the alleged bogus non-government organization (NGO) Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. (PSDFI).

Meanwhile, convicted with one count each of graft and malversation were officials of the abolished state firm, National Agribusiness Corp. (NABCOR) – vice-president Rhodora Mendoza, accounting division officer-in-charge Maria Niñez Guañizo and paralegal Victor Roman Cacal.

On the other hand, the court acquitted the primary accused, Pingoy, due to insufficient evidence against him.

In its decision, the Special Second Division said no witnesses or evidence were presented to prove that