Court affirms conviction of Eastern Samar officials over fire truck purchase

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 28) — The Sandiganbayan denied the appeal of former Eastern Samar officials to reverse their graft conviction over the anomalous purchase of a ₱2.1 million fire truck without public bidding.

In its decision dated October 14, 2022, a copy of which was released recently, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division affirmed its guilty verdict against former Guiuan municipality bids and awards committee members Esperanza Cotin, Nenita Ecleo, Felipe Padual, and Danilo Colandog.

The motion for reconsideration was filed in July 2022.

The court said the prosecution succeeded in proving bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence when the accused gave unwarranted advantage to a specific supplier.

“Accused-movants assertions failed to persuade that the Court committed an error in the appreciation of facts and the application of law to the evidence presented,” the court said.

They face a sentence of up to eight years imprisonment.