The Sandiganbayan has sentenced Makati City Judge Cedrick Ruiz to 8 years in jail for graft and another 18 years for malversation of public funds.
He was also fined P950,000, which is equivalent to the money he took from the Confidential and Intelligence Funds (CIF) while mayor of Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte in 2001. He is also further disqualified from holding any public office.
Ruiz was wrapping up his term as mayor in 2001 when he asked then Dapitan City chief of police Pepe Nortal for a cash advance of P1 million. According to the Philippine Star, after receiving the money, Ruiz gave Nortal P50,000 for the police’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.
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Photo: Sandiganbayan
