Detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles has been found guilty of 4 counts of malversation and 4 counts of graft involving the P20.91-million Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF).
In a 57-page decision promulgated by the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division, Napoles was sentenced to at least 40 years in prison for her four malversations of public funds conviction and some 24 years for her conviction on four counts of graft.
While Napoles was found guilty, former South Cotabato Second District representative Arthur Pingoy, Jr. was acquitted by the anti-graft court in all of his cases despite the statement from whistleblower Benhur Luy.
Napoles was convicted of malversation alongside former state-run National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR) officials Rhodora Mendoza, Victor Cacal, and Maria Ninez Guañizo.
They were all sentenced to spend 10 to 16 years in prison and pay the National Treasury a total fine of P20.91 million, the amount of PDAF disbursed from the government coffers.
Aside from this, the Sandiganbayan division also ordered Napoles to pay the government at least P41 million, which is the amount of the public funds misused as a result of her criminal charges conviction.
