Muntinlupa mayor gets 8 years over PDAF scam

The Sandiganbayan has sentenced reelected Muntinlupa City Mayor Rozzano Rufino Biazon to up to eight years in prison for graft in connection with the alleged misuse of P3 million in his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel in 2007 during his term as Muntinlupa congressman.

- By ELIZABETH MARCELO — With EJ Macababbad

In a 191-page decision promulgated yesterday, the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division found Biazon guilty of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Convicted with Biazon were detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, the alleged brains of the pork barrel scam, as well as Dennis Cunanan and Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, deputy director general and group manager, respectively, of the defunct state firm Technology Resource Center (TRC), and private respondent Evelyn de Leon, president of non-government organization Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. (PSDFI).

They were sentenced to six to eight years of imprisonment and were also ordered perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

No civil liability was found against Biazon, Cunanan and Lacsamana.

On the other hand, Napoles and De Leon were found civilly liable and were ordered to jointly indemnify the government the amount of P2.7 million.