MANILA-The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a Cebu town official of up to 20 years behind bars and fined PHP2 million for graft and malversation. In its 125 page decision dated Feb. 7 and written by Associate Justice Kevin Narce Vivero , the anti-graft court found Esperato del Socorro, former municipal treasurer of Ronda municipality in Cebu province, guilty of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and sentenced him up to 10 years imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. He was likewise found guilty in a separate charge of malversation of public funds, which also carries a penalty of up to 10 years and was fined PHP2.063 million. Aside from the fine, he was also sentenced to refund a similar PHP2.063 million to the Bureau of Treasury. Del Socorro had been charged along with the former town mayor, the late Esteban Sia, in connection with irregularities discovered by state auditors in 2009, along with former municipal accountant
A former municipal treasurer of Ronda, Cebu may spend up to 20 years in prison in connection with the unliquidated cash advances of the late mayor Esteban Sia in 2009 amounting to P2.063 million.