FORMER BAGUIO, CORDILLERA POLICE CHIEF ACQUITTED OF GRAFT ON CHOPPER PURCHASES

August 17, 2024 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY

Former Baguio and Cordillera police chief Jesus Verzosa and 10 other police officers were acquitted of graft by the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division Friday in relation to the anomalous purchase of second-hand helicopters by the
Philippine National Police where he served as its chief in 2009. The anti-graft court, however, found guilty of graft
beyond reasonable doubt five former PNP officials even as it lifted of Versoza’s hold departure and the others who
were acquitted and the release of their cash bonds.

The Sandiganbayan also acquitted Police Deputy Director General Jefferson Soriano, Police Superintendent (Lt. Col) Roman Loreto, P/Dir. George Piano, P/Supt. Luis Saligumba, PSupt. Job Nolan Antonio, PSupt Edgar Paatan, P/Chief Inspector Maria Josefina Recometa, P/Supt Claudio Gaspar Jr., SPO3 Ma. Linda Padojinog, PO3 Avensuel
Go Dy, and Ruben Gongona. But ruled against P/Dir. Luizo Ticman, P/Dir. Ronald Roderos; P/Dir. Romeo Hilomen, P/Dir. Leocadio Santiago Jr. and Hilaro de Vera

The five were sentenced to six years and one month to eight years imprisonment and were perpetually disqualified from public office. Ticman and the rest were also ordered to pay jointly and solidarity the civil liability in the amount of P11.37 million per unit of the two pre-owned Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters with an annual interest of six percent starting from the finality of the Sandiganbayan decision until full payment by the accused.

The decision penned by Seventh Division chairperson Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta and concurred by Associate Justices Zaldy Trespeses and Georgina Hidalgo also found Roderos guilty of falsification of public document. He was sentenced to serve between four years and two months and eight years and one day and will pay a P5,000 fine. The choppers were sold as new but were supposedly owned by then First Gentleman Jose
Miguel Arroyo.

In 2012, the Office of the Ombudsman ruled that the deal “caused undue injury” to the national government amounting to P34.6 million. The charges against Arroyo were dropped in 2022 by the Sandiganbayan, in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling. The SC, the Ombudsman and the anti-graft court “gravely erred in finding
probable cause” and putting the former First Gentleman on trial. Verzosa was Baguio police chief in 1995 and chief of the Police Regional Office – Cordillera in 2004.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN