President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during the 119th Founding Anniversary of the Philippine Army at the Brigadier General Tirso Fajardo Building, Headquarters Philippine Army Grandstand, Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City on Tuesday (March 22), with the theme: “Serving the People. Securing the Land.” Also in photo are Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP Chief of Staff General Hernando Iriberri and PA Commanding General Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Presidential adviser on environmental concerns and Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) general manager Nereus Acosta has been sentenced to a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment after being found guilty of one count of graft in connection with the misuse of his pork barrel funds as district representative of Bukidnon.
The Sandiganbayan’s fourth division on Monday found Acosta “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” of graft for giving undue preference and advantage to the Bukidnon Vegetable Producers Cooperative, where his mother, former Manolo Fortich mayor Socorro Acosta, was director and cooperator.
Acosta, a member of the Liberal Party, allocated P5.5 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) to BVPC in 2002, with the amount being coursed through the municipality of Manolo Fortich.
Both mother and son were named respondents in the case.
Socorro was likewise convicted of two counts of graft, with the other conviction stemming from her approval of the financial assistance funded by her son’s PDAF to BVPC.
Aside from facing a minimum of six years and one month to a maximum of 10 years in prison, the Acostas were also ordered perpetually disqualified from holding public office.
The LLDA executive, however, was acquitted in two graft cases.
The first case involved his alleged transfer of the P2.5-million solar tunnel dryer bought with his PDAF allocation to the Bukidnon Integrated Network of Home Industries Incorporated (Binhi), whose incorporators included his father Juan and his aunt Maria Nemia Bornidor.
The equipment was intended for the municipality of Talakag’s use.
In the second case, Acosta was accused of giving a financial assistance of 2.5 million to BINHI in 2001, with the funds supposedly being coursed through the local government of Talakag.
Despite being an administration ally, Acosta ruled out politics as a motive in his conviction.
“This was a 15-year old case already… The trial went on for seven years… This has nothing to do whether you’re an LP, this has nothing to do of being in the official family ng Pangulo,” he said.
“So sa akin, walang political color ‘yan,” Acosta added. (MNS)