MANILA - Former Baliuag, Bulacan mayor Carolina Dellosa was found guilty by the Sandiganbayan 3rd Division of graft and was sentenced to six to eight years imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
In the decision of the court promulgated on March 3, 2023, Dellosa gave an unwarranted benefit to Freeway Motor Sales of Baliuag Corporation as a result of her negligent act of approving the recommendation to procure a Mitsubishi Active Sports Crossover.
The vehicle amounted to P1.198 million based on the disbursement voucher presented by the prosecution during trial.
“The BAC (Bids and Awards Committee) resolution approved by accused Dellosa already indicated and specified the Mitsubishi brand, instead of the technical specifications of a vehicle,” the court said.
In her defense, Dellosa told the court during trial that she could not recall approving the procurement of the vehicle in 2014 while denying the signatures in the BAC resolution and other documents were not hers.
She also told the court that as a neophyte mayor then, she relied on her municipal administrator, Christopher Rivera, who she said had been involved in anomalies such as asking for money from contractors.
But the court noted in the decision that Dellosa admitted that she was not sure whether she had indeed signed the BAC resolution.
“The foregoing circumstance lead the court to the conclusion that accused Dellosa signed and approved the questioned procurement documents,” the court said.
The decision was penned by Associate Justice Ronald Moreno, with the concurrence of Division Chairperson and Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Bernelito Fernandez.