Ex-Ecija mayor gets 16 years for malversation

LAUR, Nueva Ecija -- A former mayor of this town has been sentenced to up to 16 years in prison for failing to liquidate P3.51 million in cash advances in 2006.

Blas Canlas was found guilty of malversation of public funds under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code, the Sandiganbayan said in a decision promulgated on Sept. 14 and released yesterday.

Canlas was meted the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office. He was also ordered to pay the amount that he malversed to the municipal government.

The Sandiganbayan said the prosecution panel of the Office of the Ombudsman established that Canlas refused to liquidate the cash advances despite repeated demands from the municipal government and the Commission on Audit. 

Graft probers said Canlas received 13 checks, which came from the development fund of the Laur municipal government.

The Sandiganbayan gave weight to two demand letters that former mayor Alvaro Daus, who succeeded Canlas, sent in 2007 requesting for the liquidation of the cash advances.

The court said the propriety of the purposes of the cash advances is irrelevant as long as it was sufficiently proven that the accused received the amount and failed to account for them. 

“Direct evidence of personal misappropriation by the accused is hardly necessary as long as he cannot explain satifactorily the shortage in his accounts,” the  anti-graft court said.

The decision was penned by Associate Justice Bayani Jacinto with the concurrence of Associate Justices Alex Quiroz and Reynaldo Cruz.