City Legal Officer Jesus Carbon Jr. clarified yesterday that Sylvia P. Binarao still heads the Accountant Office of the City Government of Zamboanga as her conviction by the Sandiganbayan was not yet final and executory.

Carbon made the clarification after the news spread like wild fire over the weekend that the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan’s third division had convicted Binarao of the criminal cases filed against her.

While the City Legal Office has not officially received yet a copy of the decision, just the same Carbon said he obtained a copy from the Internet.

“It’s true that she (Binarao) has been convicted but the decision is not yet final, much less executory. We have to follow the legal process here,” he told the press briefing.

He added that Binarao had already filed a motion for reconsideration. “If it will be denied, it is her prerogative to appeal until it is finally decided by the Supreme Court.”

However, the city legal officer declined to comment on the merits of the charges against the city accountant as these are still under trial or sub judice.

Reports have it that the Special Third Division of the Sandiganbayan found the city accountant guilty beyond reasonable doubt of estafa through falsification of public document and malversation of public funds on two counts, among other cases.

She was acquitted in another case for failure of the prosecution to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.-(Vic Larato)