The Sandiganbayan has meted out six to 10 years imprisonment to Mayor Nelson Ruiz of San Jose, Negros Oriental, who was found guilty of graft for allowing the operation of a cockpit arena in a parcel of land that he owns in 2009.
In a decision dated Aug. 28, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division also barred Ruiz from holding public office for life.
The case stemmed from Ruiz’s issuance of a license to a certain Felix Ramirez to operate a cockpit at the San Jose Sports Complex in barangay Cancawas, although he owns the land where the cockpit would be built.
Ramirez had to pay Ruiz a monthly rent of P10,000 for two years from January 2010 to December 2011 as contained in the contract.
“Indubitably, not only was accused Ruiz’s property indispensable for the cockpit to come into being but accused Ruiz also stood to financially gain from its operation,” the Sandiganbayan said.
The anti-graft court also said Ruiz illegally granted the license to operate since the municipal council has yet to issue an ordinance formally approving the cockpit’s operation.
“Knowing fully well his involvement in the construction of the cockpit, accused Ruiz, as Municipal mayor, unilaterally issued the permit to operate said cockpit without an ordinance from the Sangguniang Bayan, and on the very same day, the cockpit paid the necessary fees to start operating,” the Sandiganbayan said.
“Accused Ruiz’s prohibited intervention, initially manifest in his issuance of a business permit to a cockpit to be constructed on his own land, was clinched by the lease contract confirming that he stood to benefit from said cockpit,” it added.
The Sandiganbayan, however, acquitted Ruiz in the related case for violation of Section 3(d) of the anti-graft law, citing the absence of proof that he used his position to influence the hiring of his daughter, Susan Logronio, as a cockpit cashier. Maricel V. Cruz
The Sandiganbayan also said the prosecution failed to provide evidence that Logronio was officially employed as a cashier in the cockpit, and said the evidence only showed she performed the duties of a cashier.
“Plainly, the Prosecution failed to prove that accused Ruiz had anything to do with Logronio’s engagement with the subject cockpit to render him liable for the offense charged,” the decision read.