STO. TOMAS, Isabela --
The Sandiganbayan has upheld the conviction of Sto. Tomas Mayor Antonio Talaue
for failing to remit the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) premium
contributions of municipal employees.
In a six-page
resolution promulgated on July 19 and released Wednesday, the anti-graft
court’s second division denied Talaue’s motion to reverse its March 15 decision
that found him guilty of violating Section 52 (g) of Republic Act 8291 or the
GSIS Act.
The court
also denied Talaue’s supplemental motion not to impose the accessory penalty of
perpetual disqualification from public office.
The case
stemmed from non-remittance of GSIS premium contributions from January 1997 to
January 2004 amounting to P22.436 million.
“His
self-serving statement that he instructed the municipal treasurer to remit the
contributions does not absolve him from non-compliance with his legal
obligations as head of agency,” the court ruling read.
“From the
time that he received the first notice from the GSIS in 2003, he had ample time
and opportunity to check whether the municipal treasurer had been regularly
performing his duties, especially in remitting the GSIS contributions which had
long been overdue,” it said.
Talaue did
not respond to five more notices issued by the GSIS, the Sandiganbayan added.
In its
earlier ruling, the court sentenced Talaue to up to five years in prison. He
was also ordered to pay a fine of P20,000.
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