Ex-PCGG Chairman Camilo Sabio. INQUIRER file photo
Former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairperson Camilo Sabio was charged with malversation of public funds for allegedly embezzling P632,428.03 in cash advances for his personal use and benefit.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor filed three counts of malversation of public funds under the Revised Penal Code against Sabio for allegedly misappropriating or embezzling for his own personal benefit the following cash advances intended for litigation and other related purposes 鈥� P250,000, P100,000, and P282,428.03, from 2008 to 2009, for a total cash advance of P632,428.03.
Prosecutors said Sabio being accountable over the said funds committed grave abuse of confidence when he embezzled the fund for his personal use and benefit to the damage and prejudice of the government.
The prosecutors recommended a bail amount of P40,000 for each count.
Lastly, Sabio was also charged for his failure to render account, a criminal offense punishable under the Revised Penal Code, for failing to liquidate P350,000 field or activity operating expenses in relation to the official functions of his office.
A Commission on Audit (COA) 1997 circular requires the liquidation of cash advances for field operating expenses.
Prosecutors said Sabio failed to render his account for the P350,000 cash advances in 2008 during the period prescribed by law or COA circular, 鈥渢o the damage and prejudice of the government.鈥�
Prosecutors recommended a P6,000 bail in the offense of failure to render account.
Sabio already faces聽a separate two counts of graft聽for attempting to influence his younger brother, the late Court of Appeals (CA) justice Jose聽Sabio, in an ownership row before the appellate court.
搁贰础顿:听Ex-PCGG chair Sabio charged with graft for influence peddling聽
In the first graft charge, the prosecution accused聽Sabio聽of allowing himself to be persuaded, induced and influenced when he acceded to Santos鈥� request to talk to Justice聽Sabio聽to help the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in a case filed against it by the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) pending before the CA.
The prosecution said聽Sabio鈥檚 acceding to Santos鈥� request runs counter to the Code of Professional of Responsibility for Lawyers, a duly promulgated rule by a competent authority.
In the second graft charge, the prosecution accused聽Sabio聽of willfully, criminally, and unlawfully persuading, inducing or influencing his brother Justice聽Sabio, when he suggested to his brother to help the GSIS in the ownership row with Meralco pending with the division chaired by Justice聽Sabio.
The prosecution said the act is a violation of the Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary.
搁贰础顿:听Former PCGG Chair faces graft for influence peddling聽
Sabio聽was recently acquitted of graft and malversation in connection with the charge of pocketing almost P12 million worth of ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family as PCGG chair.
He was cleared of the charges that he embezzled聽P10.35 million remittances from the Mid-Pasig Land Development Corp. and from the sale of the A. Soriano Corp., both firms sequestered from the Marcoses; and of embezzling P1.5 million cash advances for a trip in Malaysia which he supposedly failed to liquidate. IDL/rga
搁贰础顿:听Sandiganbayan聽acquits ex-PCGG chair聽Sabio聽of graft, malversation聽