Hinatulan ng Sandiganbayan si Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. kasama ang dalawang dating Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) officials na guilty sa kasong katiwalian.
Ang kaso ay nag-ugat sa umano’y illegal grant ng LWUA na P1.5 million na isang government funds patungo sa National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) advertisement.
Sa ibinabang 31-pahinang desisyon na may petsang October 23, senentensiyahan ng anti-graft court ang mambabatas at co-accused ng anim hanggang walong taon na pagkakakulong.
Liban nito, pinagbabawalan na rin ang mga ito “perpetually disqualified” sa anumang paghawak ng posisyon sa gobyerno.
Si Pichay na tumatayo ring presidente ng NCFP ay naglaan umano ng alokasyon na P1.5 million mula sa budget ng LWUA para sa NCFP kung saan ang mambabatas ay bilang acting chairman ng LWUA Board of Trustees (BOT) noong December 2010.
“Accused Pichay’s claim that he was unaware of the budget for sponsorship of chess events as of the time when the LWUA-BOT deliberated on the 2010 Operating Budget deserves scant consideration. Such a claim contradicts his own statement that he saw no problem with the subject budget line item when he reviewed the proposed corporate operating budget,” bahagi pa ng ruling ng Sandiganbayan. “Apparently, such an interest is starkly opposed to his duties as the LWUA-BOT Acting Chairman of safeguarding LWUA’s resources and ensuring that the same are expended in accordance with relevant office and executive issuances.”
Sa ngayon inaantay pa ang magiging reaksiyon ni Pichay sa naturang ruling ng korte laban sa kanya.
