LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The former employee of the Benguet treasury office, who went on Absence Without Leave (AWOL) for a number of years, linked to the over P4 million in missing public funds was able to post bail through the surety bond amounting to P1.3 million Thursday for her temporary liberty.
Senior Superintendent David Q. Lacdan, officer-in-charge of the Benguet provincial police Office, said Esther Sison Pagano, 68, married, former employee of the Benguet treasury office, a resident of No. 30 Carino Street, Baguio City and a native of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, was able to be released after her bonding company posted bail for the 12 counts of malversation of public funds that were filed by the provincial government against her.
The arrested government worker was taken by virtue of a warrant issued by Judge Marybelle Demot-Marinas of the Regional Trial court (RTC) Branch 8 here for eleven counts of alleged malversation of public funds with a recommended bail of P50,000 per count of the charges.
Aside from her pending cases, it was discovered that there were four similar cases filed against her with a recommended bail of P800,000, thus, her recommended bail increased to P1.35 million.
The implementation of the warrant, which was issued by the court on August 3, 2007 and received by the provincial investigation branch on March 10, 2015, was implemented by elements of the Benguet Provincial Intelligence Branch and intelligence operatives of the La Trinidad Municipal Police station (MPS).
The wanted government employee then reportedly went on hiding after the discovery of the missing funds in the provincial government coffers.
Pagano was not able to land in jail after being arrested because upon the advise of medical experts, she had to be confined in the Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) because of the sensitivity of her heart problem.
By Dexter A. See