Malampaya gas fields.
FORMER Palawan Governor Mario Joel Reyes and several other provincial officials and contractors have been convicted of graft by the Sandiganbayan in connection with fraudulent infrastructure projects funded by the Malampaya Fund.
The anti-graft court’s 625-page decision, released on Tuesday and penned by Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith Econg, detailed the findings in 159 criminal charges.
The court found Reyes and his co-accused—former quality control division chief Alfredo Padua, engineers Rolly Matudio and Bayani Buenaventura, and others—guilty of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. The charges involved alleged graft and falsification of public documents related to at least 39 infrastructure projects in Palawan. These projects were funded by the province’s share of the Malampaya natural gas revenues.
One specific instance cited in the decision involved Reyes’ approval of falsified documents and facilitation of payment for a project falsely reported as completed.
The Sandiganbayan’s ruling marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability in the use of public funds, particularly those derived from natural resource revenues. The full extent of the penalties imposed on the convicted individuals is expected to be detailed in the complete court decision.
