Published July 3, 2021, 12:25 PM
Sandiganbayan
The Sandiganbayan has acquitted former Mayor Rodrigo M. Wenceslao of Merida town in Leyte of two graft and 20 malversation charges.
In a decision, the anti-graft court ruled that the prosecution failed to properly identity and authenticate the documentary evidence it presented to establish Wenceslao’s guilt.
The court stressed that no evidentiary weight can be given to the photocopies or certified true copies of the disbursement vouchers that were merely marked and offered but were never presented during trial.
“Be that as it may, even if the Court would give weight to the disbursement vouchers, the prosecution still has not sufficiently established the element of appropriation, taking or misappropriation of public funds through falsification of public document,” the decision written by Associate Justice Ronald B. Moreno stated.
Sandiganbayan Former Makati City Mayor Elenita S. Binay, wife of former Vice President Jejomar "Jojo" Binay, has been acquitted by the Sandiganbayan of her two graft and two malversation charges in the purchase of P45 million worth of hospital equipment and supplies for the Ospital ng Makati
Published May 31, 2021, 3:03 PM
Sandiganbayan
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of former Mayor Norlaine Mitmug Limbona of Pantar, Lanao del Norte and Municipal Accountant Paganaibae Abinal Macaumbos for graft and violations of the Government Auditing Code in the irregular grant of P11.8 million cash advances in 2008.
Upheld were their prison term ranging from six to 10 years for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the fine of P20,000 each for their 20 counts of violations of Section 89, in relation to Section 128, of Presidential Decree No. 1445 or the Government Auditing Code.
The case against acting Municipal Treasurer Orac Galmac Racmat, to whom the cash advances were given, has been archived because he has remained at-large.
Published March 12, 2021, 3:34 PM
The Sandiganbayan has denied anew the plea of an accused to present in his graft and malversation cases the testimony of a witness who is now residing abroad and whose whereabouts were not relayed to the court during pre-trial.
Denied twice was the motion of former Mayor Dioscaesar Suero of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur to present the testimony of a certain Renato/Charlie S. Siruno through written interrogatories before the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Written interrogatories consist of questions to elicit material and relevant facts for the taking of depositions or written testimonies.
Suero was charged with graft for conspiring with Nesto Ibarra and giving preference to the latter’s company, N.A. Ibarra Construction, in the construction of the farm-to-market road project for Cabugao town in 2010.
Published March 2, 2021, 3:04 PM
The Sandiganbayan has ordered a lawyer to explain why he should not be sanctioned for manifesting to the court that his client, who was convicted of graft and malversation, was already dead “when the truth is said accused is still very much alive.”
Sandiganbayan
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Ordered to explain was Jose V. Aspiras, lawyer of former Sulu Gov. Yusop Hussin Jikiri, who, together with Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Unit XI Executive Director Oscar Parawan, was sentenced last Nov. 27, 2020 to a total of 16 to 26 years in prison.
During the promulgation of the decision on his case, Jikiri failed to appear. Aspiras explained his client’s absence by manifesting his (Jakiri’s) death. The lawyer was then directed to file Jikiri’s death certificate which would indicate the place and date of his death.