Sandiganbayan affirms graft conviction of two ex-DPWH Region XII officials in P5.3M right-of-way case

In a resolution dated May 7, 2026, the Sandiganbayan's Fourth Division denied the motion for reconsideration of its earlier ruling, sustaining the conviction of former DPWH Region XII assistant regional director Tomas Rodriguez and former planning and design division officer-in-charge David Padlan over P5.3 million in fraudulent right-of-way payments tied to the Cotabato-Surallah National Road in South Cotabato. Rodriguez and Padlan were each found guilty of two counts of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and nine counts of falsification of public documents. The court sentenced them to six to ten years per graft count, six months to eight years per falsification count, P5,000 in fines per falsification count, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office. The Sandiganbayan held the two guilty of "gross inexcusable negligence" for releasing funds despite irregularities in the supporting documents, and found that the money "was not applied to the purchase of the lots" listed in the claims for Wilfredo and Alicia Leabris and Muhammad Saptula. The case fits the broader pattern of DPWH district-office accountability the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan have been working through: junior officials processing inflated or fictitious right-of-way claims, the paper trail of titles and disbursement vouchers proving the lots and the recipients do not line up.