Pasil Mayor Alfredo B. Malannag Jr. from Kalinga province has pleaded guilty before the Sandiganbayan to the lesser offense of failure of accountable officer to render accounts instead of malversation for failing to liquidate over half a million pesos worth of public funds back in 2001.
Malannag escaped possible jail time had he been convicted of malversation, and he was sentenced by the anti-graft court's Second Division to pay a fine of P2,000. He was likewise ordered to indemnify the municipality of Pasil the amount of P503,920.16 by way of civil liability.
Malannag was initially slapped with a violation of Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code, also known as malversation of public funds, for misappropriating P503,920.16 from July to September 2001.
He was entrusted with six cash advances, represented by Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) checks amounting to P18,000, P20,000, P18,000, P20,000, P100,000, and P450,000 - the total of which is P626,000. From that amount, he reportedly embezzled P503,920.16. Despite repeated demands made by the Commission on Audit (COA) for him to liquidate the funds, he failed to do so.
On October 12, Malannag moved that he withdraw his earlier plea of "Not Guilty" and be re-arraigned. The prosecution did not object.
He was then re-arraigned, where he pleaded "Guilty" to the lesser offense of Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code, otherwise known as failure of accountable officer to render accounts.
"Wherefore, premises considered, the court finds accused Alfredo Malannag Jr. guilty beyond reasonable doubt of Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code," the dispositive portion of the decision read.
It was written by Second Division Chairperson Oscar Herrera Jr. with the concurrence of Associate Justices Michael Frederick Musñgi and Bayani Jacinto.