The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its decision that convicted a former official of the government-owned Philippine National Construction Corporation (PNCC) of failure to render accounts or liquidate P39.62 million from 2006 to 2010.
Affirmed was the Nov. 27, 2020 conviction of then PNCC Senior Vice President Segundo Gaston who was sentenced to life in prison. He was also ordered to indemnify the PNCC for P39.62 million and to pay a fine of P240,000.
Gaston’s motion for reconsideration, which claimed denial of due process and failure of prosecution to establish his guilt, was turned down by the anti-graft court in its Feb. 11, 2021 resolution written by Associate Justice Bernelito R. Fernandez with the concurrence of Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Ronald B. Moreno.
The court said that Gaston’s arguments in his motion have already been “thoroughly discussed and adequately considered" in its decision.
"After revisiting the records of these cases, the Court is fully satisfied that due process was accorded accused-movant Gaston and carefully observed throughout the proceedings," the court stressed.