Sandigan affirms conviction of Human Settlements' ex-cashier
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction for malversation of public funds handed down by the regional trial court (RTC) against former cashier III Nila E. Cariño of the Human Settlements Development Corporation (HSDC)-Maharlika Livelihood Complex (MLC) in Baguio City.
Affirmed was Cariño’s imprisonment ranging from four to seven years and a fine of P295,764.18. Also upheld was her perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Cariño’s conviction arose from the cash shortage of P374,319.84 she incurred from Oct. 13, 2017 to July 24, 2018.
She appealed her conviction before the Sandiganbayan with the legal assistance from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO). She said the prosecution failed to establish that the missing amount of money was in her possession since no cash count was conducted.
She also told the anti-graft court that there was no showing of missing or unaccounted money since she turned everything over to Sheldon K. Saclag, who succeeded her as cashier.
But the Sandiganbayan found “no reason to disturb the trial court's findings."
It said that Cariño neither provided any explanation why the funds went missing nor denied her liability for the cash shortage.
"The absence of any explanation from Cariño evidently showed that she cannot account for the cash shortage hence, there is a prima facie evidence that she misappropriated the missing funds," the anti-graft court said.
Associate Justice Arthur O. Malabaguio wrote the 29-page decision dated June 5, 2023 with the concurrence of Second Division Chairperson Oscar C. Herrera Jr. and Associate Justice Edgardo M. Caldona.