Two former mayors of Taal, Batangas are facing jail sentences of 12-20 years each after being convicted of graft by the anti-graft court Thursday.

In its ruling, the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division convicted spouses Librado M. Cabrera and Fe M. Cabrera, both former municipal mayors of Taal, Batangas on two counts of graft each for allowing the fraudulent purchase of medical supplies without public bidding.
 
They were also ordered to reimburse the municipal government the amounts of P27,651.83 and P170,987.66 respectively representing public funds spent on unauthorized travels.
 
Librado served as town mayor from 1995 to 1998 and was succeeded by his wife from 1998 to 2001.
  
The graft court overruled the defendants’ claim that they approved negotiated purchases instead of holding a public bidding because there was an emergency need for medicines at the time.
 
“Other than asserting that the purchases in question are emergency purchases, accused did not prove or much less allege that the requirements under this exception have been complied with. The same is true with their claim that these medicines were purchased directly from manufacturer,” the Sandiganbayan ruling said.
 
Likewise, the graft court noted Librado’s admission on the record that the president and general manager of the supplier  was his cousin and that several other Cabreras who are incorporators of the pharmaceutical firm were his relatives by consanguinity.
 
On the separate charges of illegal reimbursement of travel expenses, the court pointed out that both accused were unable to produce the required authorization for their travels.