Former San Francisco, Agusan Del Sur Mayor Carl Elias Lademora has pleaded guilty to violation of Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code (Failure of a Public Officer to Render Account) and has been ordered by the Sandiganbayan to pay a fine of P6,000.00.
Case records show that Lademora failed to return the amount of P50,620.00 representing the cash advance to cover his travel and registration expenses for the 4th Strategic Management for Development Managers Course at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City from 27 to 31 July 2009.
Upon re-arraignment on 15 September 2017, Lademora expressed his intention to change his plea from “not guilty” to “guilty.”
According to the Sandiganbayan, “the accused was fully apprised of the consequences of his intended plea and in clear terms, Lademora stated in the affirmative that he understood the nature of the change of his plea; that if he pleaded guilty to the charge, he is deemed to have admitted all the accusations alleged in the Information.”
The decision was penned by Associate Justices Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta, Zaldy Trespeses and Bayani Jacinto. ###