Published April 23, 2021, 3:16 PM
The Sandiganbayan has denied the plea of the former municipal agriculturist of Tigbauan, Iloilo to junk her graft case in view of the court’s dismissal of the charges against her two co-accused.
Denied was the request of Eugenia Sayson who was charged with graft, together with former Mayor James Excelsior Torres and Market Supervisor George Tinguban, in connection with the P1.87 million purchase of two farm tractors in 2009.
The charges against Torres and Tinguban had been dismissed on a demurrer to evidence when they challenged the weakness of the prosecution’s evidence against them.
In the case of Sayson, she told with anti-graft court that her role was essentially the same as the participation of Tinguban as it was only limited to accepting the tractors by accomplishing the corresponding Acceptance and Inspection Report and certifying the completeness of delivery.
Sandiganbayan (MANILA BULLETIN)
Cleared were former CDA Board Administrator Wendell B. Reyes Sr., Finance Division Chief Gertrudes M. San Diego, and Marissa M. Estanislao, private secretary of the late Vice Chairman Ombre S. Hamsirani.
On April 19, 2004, they were charged together with the late acting CDA Chairman Ruben M. Conti, Hamsirani, and Board Administrator Nicetas V. Torres with giving undue advantage to the Zamboanga Multi-Purpose Trading Cooperative, Dried Fish Dealers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, ERA Integrated Development Cooperative, Badjao Cultural Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative, South Sea Marine Products Processing Cooperative, and Isabela Fish Bularan Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
The charges against Conti and Hamsirani had been dismissed on account of their deaths. The case against Torres has been ordered archived because he remained at-large.
Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In a 4-1 vote of the Sandiganbayan justices, the anti-graft court granted Villafuertes’ demurer to evidence on his motion that the evidence of the prosecution was weak after its presentation during trial.
Villafuerte was charged with violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for the contracts he entered into with Tigon Security Investigation and General Services, Inc. from July 2008 to December 2009.
The graft charge against Villafuerte’s co-accused former Rural Health Physician Bernadette Galan Carlos and Medical Officer III Gerardo Nolasco Villafuerte was dismissed earlier last Feb. 3, also on a demurrer to evidence.
Published February 9, 2021, 3:46 PM
The Sandiganbayan has dismissed the graft charges filed against Camarines Sur’s former rural health physician Bernadette Galan Carlos and medical officer III Gerardo Nolasco Villafuerte in connection with the alleged anomalous security service contract entered into by the province from 2008 to 2009.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
In dismissing the charges, the anti-graft court granted the demurer to evidence filed by Carlos and Villafuerte.
Demurer to evidence is a legal option available to an accused who can seek the dismissal of the charges against him or her on the ground that the prosecution’s evidence is weak. The plea is usually aired in a formal pleading after the prosecution has terminated the presentation of its evidence.
Published February 5, 2021, 2:53 PM
The Sandiganbayan has ordered the government’s forfeiture of the more than P120 million worth of property of former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Comptroller Lt. General Jacinto C. Ligot and members of his family after it declared that the money used to purchase them was unlawfully acquired.
Sandiganbayan (MANILA BULLETIN)
The 70-page decision written by Associate Justice Bayani H. Jacinto and concurred in Associate Justices Alex L. Quiroz and Lorifel L. Pahimna stated:
“Wherefore, in view of the foregoing, judgment is rendered granting in part the petition filed by the Republic of the Philippines against the respondents Lt. Gen. Jacinto Castillo Ligot, Erlinda Yambao Ligot, Paulo Yambao Ligot, Riza Yambao Ligot, and Miguela Ligot-Paragas.