Ex-Girl Scouts Cebu official convicted of graft, malversation over pork barrel scam

CEBU, Philippines – The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan has convicted the former executive director of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP)-Cebu Council of two counts each of graft and malversation of public funds in connection to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations of former Cebu congresswoman Clavel Martinez in 2002.

In a decision promulgated on Tuesday, April 30, the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division sentenced former GSP Cebu council executive director Alejandrita Meca to 6 to 10 years in prison for each count of graft and 10 to 17 years for each count of malversation of public funds.

Associate Justice Kevin Narce B. Vivero penned the decision with concurrences from Associate Justice Sarah Jane T. Fernandez and Associate Justice Karl B. Miranda.

The court deemed Meca as “a vital cog in the wheel of conspiracy” to defraud public funds sourced from PDAF allocations in 2002, citing her position as GSP-Cebu Council executive director.

“In the grand scheme of things, accused Meca completed the tapestry of events inextricably woven in this syndicate corruption. In sum, the prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt that accused Meca was a conspirator,” the court said.

Meca was ordered to pay a civil liability of P14.4 million to the Bureau of Treasury subject to a 6% interest every year from the finality of the decision until full payment. She is also perpetually barred from holding public office.

The court said that Meca used her position as GSP-Cebu Council executive director to solicit financial assistance from the congresswoman’s office without observing the GSP by-laws, and that she signed the general voucher for two P7.5-million withdrawals on June 20 and September 20, 2002.

Out of these sums, P7.1 million and P7.3 million were found to have been released to Martinez without any resolution from the GSP-Cebu Board of Trustees. This allowed the congresswoman to use the funds for her personal benefit, the court said.

According to court records, Martinez’s P14.4-million PDAF was supposed to fund GSP-Cebu’s anti-drug efforts but, with the help of GSP-Cebu officials, the fund found its way to the former congresswoman’s bank account.

In 2014, Meca was named co-accused of Martinez, the latter’s son former Bogo, Cebu mayor Celestino Martinez, former municipal treasurer Rhett Miguez, municipal accountant Cresencio Verdida, GSP-Cebu bookkeeper Rhodariza Kilantang, and cashier Julieta Quiño. Her co-accused were convicted of the same offenses on May 17, 2022, which the court affirmed in November 2022.– Rappler.com