The Sandiganbayan has ordered the arrest of the former mayor of Valladollid town in Negros Occidental who has been convicted of graft but he remains at-large, Col. Rainerio de Chavez, Negros Occidental police director, confirmed on Thursday, Feb. 13.
The warrant of arrest was issued by Sandiganbayan Seventh Division Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeces on Dec. 13, 2024 against former Valladolid mayor Romel Patalita Yogore who has been convicted for violation of the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act“.
The police served the warrant of arrest on Jan. 5 but Yogore was not at his house in Barangay Poblacion, Valladolid, de Chavez told DIGICAST NEGROS.
The police returned the warrant to the Sandiganbayan and notified the graft court that he could not be found, de Chavez said, adding that the former mayor will be arrested if found.
The Sandiganbayan Seventh Division convicted Yogore of graft for the Valladolid municipal government’s purchase of construction materials worth P230,395 from JB Nieve Hardware and Construction Supplies owned by his brother-in-law Jonie Nieve without a public bidding.
The construction materials were for the improvement of a rural health unit in 2008.
The anti-graft court sentenced him to imprisonment of six years and one month, as minimum, to eight years as maximum, with perpetual disqualification from holding public office, Trespeces said in his warrant of arrest.
The Supreme Court denied Yogore’s appeal on March 3, 2022 and its ruling became final and executory on March 29, 2024, Trespeces added.
Yogore could not be reached for comment.*