Sandiganbayan orders arrest of ex-mayor of Negros Occ town
BACOLOD CITY—The Sandiganbayan has ordered the arrest of a former mayor of Valladolid town in Negros Occidental who has been convicted of graft but remains at large.
Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses of the antigraft court’s Seventh Division has issued the warrant of arrest against Romel Patalita Yogore on Dec. 13, 2024 after the latter was found liable of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Police Col. Rainerio de Chavez, Negros Occidental police director, in an interview on Thursday, said Yogore could not be located until now.
He said policemen served the warrant of arrest on Jan. 5 but Yogore was not at his house in Barangay Poblacion, Valladolid.
The police returned the warrant to the Sandiganbayan and notified the court that he could not be found.
“Once he (Yogore) will be located, he will be arrested,” De Chavez said.
The Inquirer tried but failed to reach Yogore or his representative for a statement.
The Sandiganbayan convicted Yogore of graft in connection to the Valladolid municipal government’s purchase of construction materials worth P230,395 from a construction store owned by his brother-in-law Jonie Nieve that was done without a public bidding.
The construction materials were for the improvement of a rural health unit in 2008.
Appeal denied
The antigraft court meted him a jail term of six years and one month to eight years. He was also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.
Yogore appealed his case before the Supreme Court but this was denied on March 3, 2022. The high court’s ruling became final and executory on March 29, 2024.
“The fact alone that accused Nieve was related to him within the second degree of affinity should have put accused Yogore on guard. Instead, and despite this, accused Yogore proceeded to award the contract to accused Nieve notwithstanding that no proper procurement was conducted,” the decision said.
“To disregard the lawful procurement process is indicative not only of manifest partiality, but also gross ignorance of the law,” it added.
