Antique town mayor gets 8 years for rice mill dealMANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has sentenced the mayor and vice mayor of Patnongon town in Antique to eight years in prison in connection with the allegedly anomalous awarding of a rice mill equipment worth P9.9 million to a cooperative. In a 74-page decision promulgated on April 14, the court’s Third Division found Mayor Johnny Bacongallo and Vice Mayor Thomas Bacaoco as well as six other former and incumbent town officials guilty of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The six other respondents were identified as former town mayor Henry Mondejar, incumbent Councilors Al Brian Crespo and Felix Gregorio Barrientos, and former councilors Rene Philip Cayetano, Teopisto Estaris Jr. and Erika Orcasitas. Also convicted of the same offense was private respondent Efren Esclavilla, chairman of the Greater Antique Development Cooperative or GRAND Coop. The court said Cepeda was able to prove that she did not sign a resolution of the Sangguniang Bayan approving the deal with the cooperative.
