By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

GOVERNMENT officials and employees convicted of graft and corruption must serve a mandatory jail term on top of fines and restitution imposed by court, Sen. Adolpho B. Palacios, D-Ordot/Chalan Pago, said yesterday.
The existing Guam statutes provide for corresponding prison terms for crimes involving corrupt practices committed in public offices. However, Palacios observes that most local judges don’t exercise their discretion to put convicts behind bars.
“The local judiciary is too lenient and our lawmakers don’t want to limit the judicial discretion when it comes to punishing criminals in government. We have convictions but I am not aware of any record of incarceration,” Palacios said.
“It takes the federal government to lock them up,” he said, referring to federal corruption cases tried by the district court.
Palacios introduced yesterday Bill 108 which would provide for mandatory minimum incarceration of public servants convicted of bribery, influence peddling and other crimes that involve public office.
The bill, according to the senator, would remove the option for any judge to limit the sanction to fines and restitution.
“Under this bill, it would be mandatory for a convicted felon to serve at least the minimum term on top of the fines imposed on him,” Palacios said. “If the judge will choose not to impose the maximum prison term, we should at least set a minimum term that would be mandatory.”