Janet Napoles found guilty over P7.55 million pork barrel scam
Janet Lim Napoles has been sentenced to up to 55 years in prison over the misuse of P7.55 million in the pork barrel of Davao del Sur Vice Gov. Marc Douglas Cagas IV.
According to reports, the Sandiganbayan found Napoles guilty of committing two counts of malversation of public funds and two counts of graft in connection with the misuse of P7.55 million worth of pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund of former Davao del Sur lawmaker Mark Douglas Cagas IV during his term as congressman.
In the verdict issued on Friday, the anti-graft court’s Third Division found Napoles guilty of two counts each of violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and malversation of public funds as provided under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.
She is sentenced to 10 to 16 years in prison for her malversation conviction under Case Number SB-16-CRM-0185, and 10 to 18 years and eight months for her conviction for the same violation under Case Number SB-16-CRM-0186.
Other than Napoles, her co-accused, Dennis Cunanan and Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, deputy director general and group manager of the abolished state firm Technology Resource Center, and Rhodora Mendoza, vice president of another defunct state firm, the National Agribusiness Corp., were also convicted of one count each of graft and malversation.
The anti-graft court also barred the three from holding public office. Meanwhile, Napoles, Cunanan, and Lacsama were ordered to pay a joint fine of P2.7 million on top in addition to P2.7 million in civil liability.
Apart from a fine of P4.85 million, Mendoza and Napoles were also ordered to reimburse the government P4.85 million in civil damages.
On the other hand, the Third Division acquitted former TRC officers Francisco Figura, Marivic Jover, and Consuelo Lilian Espiritu after the prosecution failed to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Also cleared of the charges were former officials of the Department of Budget and Management – undersecretary Mario Relampagos, chief budget and management specialist Rosario Nuñez, and administrative assistants Marilou Bare and Lalaine Paule.
The Third Division likewise acquitted NABCOR general services supervisor Victor Roman Cacal and bookkeeper Maria Ninez Guanizo, and private respondent Jesus Castillo Jr.
Meanwhile, the charges against former Energy Regulatory Commission Chair Zenaida Ducut remain archived, following earlier findings that she is suffering from dementia.
In 2022, Cagas was found guilty of four counts of fraud against the public treasury under Article 213 of the Revised Penal Code, three counts of failure to render accounts under Article 218 of the RPC, and falsification of public documents under Article 172. He was sentenced to four months to two years in prison for the falsification offense.
He entered a plea bargain agreement with the Office of the Special Prosecutor in 2021. As part of the deal, he pleaded guilty to lesser offenses in exchange for the dropping of the original cases, which included heavier prison terms and fines.
He also agreed to pay P12.95 million, the same amount of his misused PDAF funds.
Napoles was convicted in 2018 for plunder in connection with the misuse of P517 million in PDAF of former senator Bong Revilla Jr. She was also convicted in 2024 over money laundering in connection with the PDAF scam. She is currently detained in the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong.
