The Supreme Court issued the ruling clearing Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo of malversation and graft charges on February 22, 10 days before he was attacked and killed
MANILA - A former provincial engineer and seven contractors were cleared by the Sandiganbayan of graft charges related to Negros Oriental provincial government projects in 2012. In a 52-page resolution dated May 4 and uploaded Friday, the anti-graft court's Second Division granted the demurrers and motions to dismiss of Ricardo Santos, Maribel Ranola, Mark Anthony Clemente, Danny Chan, Farouk Macarambon, Alejadro Lim, Wildred Chu, and former provincial engineer Franco Alpuerto. The court cited the "failure of the prosecution to sufficiently establish the essential elements of the crime and to overcome the presumption of innocence in favor of the accused". On Jan. 29, 2021, the Sandiganbayan already dismissed the graft and malversation through falsification charges against former governor Roel Degamo, provincial treasurer Danilo Mendez, and provincial accountant Teodorico Reyes on the ground of double jeopardy. The Ombudsman discovered that the transactions were pursued de