G.R. No. 220500 - CRISTINA AMPOSTA-MORTEL, VS. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES.

Ruling

WHEREFORE , premises considered, the Court renders judgment as follows: 1. Accused Manuel Beriña, Jr., Jaime Millan, Bernardo Viray, Theron Victor Lacson, Raphael Pocholo Zorilla, Cristina Amposta-Mortel, Frisco Francisco San Juan, Carmelita De Leon-Chan, Daniel Dayan, Salvador Malbarosa, Leo Padilla, Elpidio Damaso and Jesusita Legaspi are found GUILTY BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT of violating Sec. 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019. They are each sentenced to the indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of Six (6) years and One (1) month, as minimum, to Eight (8) years, as maximum, with perpetual disqualification from holding public office. They are ordered to jointly and severally reimburse the government the cost of the improper contract price adjustment and the cost for the Seaside Drive Extension totaling One Hundred Million Sixteen Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety-Four Pesos and Seventy-Four Centavos ( P100,016,794.74 ), with interest until fully paid, as civil liability. 2. Accused Ernest Frederick Villareal, Joemari Gerochi, Angelito Villanueva, Martin Sanciego, Jr., Rodolfo Tuazon, Manuela Dela Paz, Arturo Layug, Benilda Mendoza, Epifanio Pureza, Jose Capistrano, and Ma. Cecilia Dela Rama are found NOT GUILTY , the Prosecution being unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith, or gross inexcusable negligence and were involved in a conspiracy, as charged in the Information. No civil liability is adjudged against accused Villareal, Gerochi, Villanueva, Sanciego, Jr., Tuazon, Dela Paz, Layug, Mendoza, Pureza, Capistrano, and Dela Rama considering that no act or omission on which any civil liability can be based exists. Their bail bonds are deemed CANCELLED and ORDERED RELEASED . The hold-departure orders issued against them are ordered LIFTED and SET ASIDE . 3. The case against accused Carlos Doble is hereby ARCHIVED until the Prosecution or the counsel of said accused presents a certified true copy of his Death Certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority. SO ORDERED.