MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Verzosa was acquitted by the Sandiganbayan over a controversial helicopter deal in 2009.
The ruling, penned by Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta of the seventh division, and uploaded on the anti-graft court’s website on Friday, cleared Verzosa and several former officials of the PNP over the anomalous purchase of two standard Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters with Serial Numbers 1372 and 1374.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Jesus Verzosa talks to the media regarding operations conducted in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, southern Philippines, following the election-linked massacre of 57 people allegedly by a local politician and his militia, during a news conference at the PNP headquarters in Manila on December 4, 2009. Verzosa told a news conference a 60mm mortar was seized from one of the homes. However Verzosa said the biggest potential breakthrough was the discovery of the weapons and ammunition near the Ampatuan compound on December 3. “We estimate that these weapons are enough to arm a battalion (500 soldiers),” Verzosa said. AFP PHOTO / JAY DIRECTO
Also acquitted were Tuguegarao Mayor Jefferson Soriano, Ermilando Villafuerte, Roman Loreto, George Plano, Luis Saligumba, Job Nolan Antonio, Edgar Pataan, Ma. Josefina Recometa, Claudio Gaspar, Jr. Ma. Linda Padojnog, Avensuel Go Dy and Ruben Sarabillo Gongona.
Five, however, were convicted and sentenced from six to eight years in prison, along with perpetual disqualification from office. They were former police officials Luizo Ticman, Ronald Roderos, Romeo Hilomen, and Leocadio Santiago Jr., along with Hilario de Vera, who was president and managing head of Manila Aerospace Products Trading (Maptra). They were all ordered to jointly pay P11,377,153.23 per unit of the Robinson R44 Raven I helicopters with 6 percent interest per year.
Roderos was also convicted of falsifying documents under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code and would also receive a separate sentence of a maximum of eight years imprisonment with a P5,000 fine.
The ruling also read that the “chopper scam” that riled the PNP in 2011 for their purchase of two standard helicopters centered on the complicity of former first gentleman Juan Miguel “Mike” Arroyo, as the helicopters were his property.
“Dangling on a conspiracy angle, the prosecution theorized that these two helicopters were previously owned by Atty. Arroyo. As a matter of fact, nine out of 13 prosecution witnesses centered on his ownership of the second-hand helicopters,” it read.
Back in 2022, the Sandiganbayan already junked graft charges against the former first gentleman, citing a Supreme Court decision that the anti-graft court and Office of the Ombudsman “gravely erred” in finding probable cause to put Arroyo to trial.
Verzosa was convicted by the Sandiganbayan in 2021 over the purchase of P131.5 million of police rubber boats and outboard motors in 2009.
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