Ex-DOF exec convicted anew for tax credit scam

The Sandiganbayan has sentenced former Department of Finance (DOF) executive director Uldarico Andutan Jr. to up to 50 years in prison for another set of graft cases in connection with the multibillion-peso tax credit scam in the 1990s.

- ELIZABETH MARCELO

In a 117-page decision promulgated on Sept. 6, the antigraft court's Seventh Division found Andutan guilty of five counts of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Andutan was sentenced to a minimum of six years and one month to a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment for each count of the offense or a total of 30 to 50 years. He was also ordered perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

The country's penal justice system, however, limits the maximum prison term for a convicted felon to 40 years, as provided under Article 70 of the Revised Penal Code.

On the other hand, Andutan was acquitted of five counts of estafa through falsification of public documents due to the prosecution's failure to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Also acquitted of both graft and estafa charges were former DOF tax evaluators Asuncion Magdaet and Charmelle Recoter as well as private respondents Grace ChingkoeOng and Catalina Bautista, co-owner and representative, respectively, of Filstar Textile Industrial Corp due to insufficient evidence to prove their participation in the commission of the alleged crimes.