RUFFY Biazon, Muntinlupa Mayor, was found guilty of graft by the Sandiganbayan’s Special Seventh Division, the anti-graft court of the Philippines, upon violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. He was sentenced to six to eight years in jail with perpetual disqualification from public office. 

     Last May 30, Biazon, Janet Napoles, and officials of Technology Resource Center (TRC), a former government agency, Dennis Cunanan, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, and Evelyn De Leon were found guilty of their involvement in the alleged misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) worth P2.7 million in 2007. 

     The Sandiganbayan ordered De Leon and Napoles to return to the national treasury P2.7 million, which was wrongfully and illegally disbursed. 

     Concerning the pork barrel scam, the Court found that the Muntinlupa Mayor channeled his PDAF to the Philippine Development Foundation, Inc. (PSDFI), the non-government organization Napoles managed when he was the Muntinlupa Representative. As instructed in his endorsement letter, Biazon endorsed PSDFI to TRC as the lead agency to implement and allocate his PDAF. The PDAF was supposed to fund a livelihood project for barangays in Muntinlupa, but it never occurred as it only existed on paper. 

     According to Sandiganbayan records, Benhur Luy, a whistleblower and former finance officer of Napoles entities, stated that Biazon received P1,950,000 through an authorized representative. 

     With the case results, the Mayor aims to file a motion for reconsideration, praying that the court find him innocent, as it has ruled in his previous cases. The decision shall be reexamined by the same division as long as the motion is filed within 15 days after notice of judgment. 

     The malversation case was cleared because the Daily Disbursement Report (DDR) of Luy, which detailed how the public funds went to Biazon, was not authenticated. The direct bribery charge was also dismissed due to a lack of evidence. 

     As the decision is not yet final, Biazon shall continue to serve his post and term as the local chief executive.