MANILA-The Sandiganbayan has cleared a former town mayor in Leyte province and convicted seven others in graft charges arising from the officials' refusal to recognize the appointment of a member of the Sangguniang Bayan, who was appointed by the provincial governor to replace a resigned council member, 24 years ago. In its 34-page decision written by Associate Justice Kevin Narce Vivero and dated Jan. 24, the anti-graft court's sixth division found former Hilongos town mayor Altagracia Villaflor not guilty with the tribunal citing that "the evidence of the prosecution failed to sufficiently establish all the elements of the crime charged and for failure of the prosecution to overcome the presumption of innocence." The tribunal instead found former vice mayor Panfilo Go, and municipal sangguniang bayan mambers Lamberto Rainier Flanco, Manuel Gabisan, Epifania Nerves, Lilia Sabando, Edwin Faller and Rogelio Yan guilty of graft and sentenced them to imprisonment of up t