The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has convicted former Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) chief Prospero Pichay of graft and breach of conduct in relation to the illegal P1.5 million sponsorship of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) tournament in 2010.
Pichay was sentenced to imprisonment of six to 10 years, with perpetual disqualification from holding public office. Meanwhile, he was ordered to pay a fine of P5,000 because of his breach of conduct conviction.
Former acting deputy administrator for Investment and Financial Services Wilfredo M. Feleo and former senior deputy administrator Emmanuel Malicdem were also convicted of graft, together with Pichay.
Pichay violated Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019 and Section 7(a) of R.A. 6713 for giving unwarranted benefits and advantage to the NCFP in the amount of P1.5 million back in 2010.
He voted for the approval of the said amount for chess events, even though the sponsorship of sporting events was not among the LWUA's primary purposes.
Pichay, who was simultaneously NCFP President at the time, also allowed the chess events to be named after him and held in his honor.