The Sandiganbayan 4th Division affirms for the second time a guilty verdict against actor-comedian and former Parañaque mayor Joey Marquez and other government officials due to graft filed against him and others by the Commission on Audit (COA).
According to the investigation of COA, the city government under Marquez’s term purchased a broomstick that was overpriced by Php P462,708 and did not go through regular public bidding procedures.
It was August 2007 when Marquez and three others were convicted of graft. Marquez was able to post a Php 90,000 bail bond and Php 150,000 additional cash bond. The other officials who were also convicted are former city treasurer Silvestre de Leon, former city accountant Marilou Tanael and former general services section officer-in-charge Ofelia Cunanan.
City budget officer Flocerfida Babida, mayor’s office staff Ailyn Romea and businessman Antonio Razon was acquitted. Marquez and three others were sentenced up to 50 years of imprisonment. They were also asked to return the Php 462, 708.