One of the 10 former officials of the Viga municipal government who were convicted of graft in 2020 has been arrested by the police.
Last Jan. 10, 2026 at 6 PM, joint elements of the Viga Municipal Police Station (MPS) and the Catanduanes 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) arrested the former councilor on the basis of a Warrant of Arrest for Execution of Judgment issued by Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo M. Cabotage-Tang.
Dated June 13, 2024, the warrant was issued in connection with a violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, with no bail was recommended for his temporary liberty.
Viga residents identified the former councilor as William Tuno Tuplano, reportedly working on job order basis with the local government prior to his apprehension.
He is among the 10 ex-officials of the town who had been convicted of graft by the Sandiganbayan Third Division for purchasing a backhoe in 2005 without complying with proper procurement laws.
They were sentenced to suffer the indeterminate penalty of six years and one month to 10 years as maximum, with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
The irregular transaction involved the procurement of a JCB 4CS 4x4x4 backhoe loader from Compressed Air Machineries Equipment Corp. (CAMEC) worth P13,950,000 without public bidding as the municipal council had declared that CAMEC is the sole distributor of the equipment.
Torres initiated the procurement and had to secure a loan with the Philippine National Bank as there was not enough funds for the purchase.
During trial, no evidence was presented that the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) recommended the use of the alternative mode of procurement.
The Sandiganbayan noted that the accused simply adopted a resolution authorizing the mayor to apply and negotiate for a loan to procure the backhoe loader and that by doing away with the bidding process, the officials concerned showed their gross inexcusable negligence and preference for CAMEC as sole supplier with no valid justification.
The accused filed a motion for reconsideration upon their conviction in 2020 but the Sandiganbayan affirmed its decision a year later.
Of the 10 officials, two are already dead: former Mayor Jose Torres and former Councilor Lourdes del Rosario.
Former Vice Mayor Yolando Tuquero is already in an advanced age while three ex-councilors are ailing: Asuncion Odi and Rosario Mollasgo who are both bedridden and Horacio Aquino who is reportedly paralyzed in a hospital.
On the other hand, former Sangguniang Kabataan municipal federation president and ex-officio SB member Nerissa Usero is abroad and remains at large.
Apart from the apprehended Tuplano, the other accused are former SB members Orbel Tonio, Gomercindo Litong and Domingo Villanueva.
Villanueva, however, has a pending appeal with the Supreme Court.