Former Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong acquitted over permit mess inquirer.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from inquirer.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
MANILA BULLETIN FILE
Chiong was accused of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for giving undue advantage to Petronas Energy Philippines Inc. when he issued Mayor’s Permit No. RO1-484-2014 on April 7, 2014 in favor of Petronas despite its lack of the pre-requisite Fire Safety Inspection Certification from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
But in its 22-page ruling, the anti-graft court said that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the guilt of Chiong. For one thing, they weren’t able to prove that Chiong acted with evident bad faith, manifest partiality, or gross inexcusable negligence when he issued the mayor’s permit.