Happened during his mayoral term
TACLOBAN CITY — A sitting member of the Biliran provincial board has been convicted by a court in Naval, Biliran for malversation of public property linked to his tenure as mayor of Culaba town.
In a decision dated May 19, 2026, the Regional Trial Court Branch 37 found Biliran 2nd District Board Member Lorenzo Reveldez Jr. guilty of violating Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 10951.
Court records showed that Reveldez unlawfully appropriated government-owned equipment in 2020 while serving as mayor of Culaba.
The properties involved included a sound system and related accessories valued at P922,500.
The court ruled that the prosecution was able to establish his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
“Wherefore, in view of the foregoing, the Court hereby renders judgment finding accused Lorenzo Reveldez, Jr., guilty beyond reasonable doubt as principal of the crime of malversation of public property…and hereby sentences him to suffer an indeterminate penalty of imprisonment of two years, four months and one day as minimum to seven years and four months as maximum,” the court said.
Reveldez was also ordered to pay a fine amounting to P922,500, equivalent to the value of the missing government property.
The decision was signed by Presiding Judge Constantino Esper of the Regional Trial Court in Naval, Biliran.
Attempts to obtain a statement from Reveldez through his social media account were unsuccessful as of posting time.
However, in a social media post that appeared to refer to the case, Reveldez wrote: “I am still alive and kicking!!! No worries!!! God is good all the time.”
He also made a similar post, possibly alluding to his case by saying: “Dapat patas na judgement with concrete evidence…di sana politika ang basehan..hasy, Pilipinas kung mahal’(A fair judgment should be based on concrete evidence… not on politics. Sigh, Philippines, if you truly love (your country).
Reveldez served multiple terms as mayor of Culaba until 2022 before winning a seat in the Biliran Provincial Board representing the province’s second district in the 2025 elections.
JOEY A. GABIETA (with report ROBERT DEJON)
