THE Sandiganbayan has thrown out motions filed by four former top officials of the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC), a government-owned or controlled corporation, asking leave of court to challenge the sufficiency of government evidence in the graft and malversation charges against them.
Citing lack of merit, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division denied separate motions filed by former TLRC deputy director general Dennis Cunanan, group leaders Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana and Francisco Figura, and chief accountant Marivic Jover.
The four were indicted for graft and malversation of public funds in 2020 together with private defendant Alfredo Ronquillo, president of non-government organization (NGO) Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. (AFPI), for alleged mishandling of P10 million drawn from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel allocations of former Laguna Rep. Danton Bueser.
Prosecutors said the TLRC executives acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith, and gross inexcusable negligence in allowing the release in 2007 of P9.8 million to AFPI despite the absence of an appropriation law and in violation of Commission on Audit Circular No. 96-003 requiring the GOCC to monitor the implementation of the funded project and liquidation of the government funds.
They noted that until now, the P9.8 million that was transferred to the NGO remains unliquidated while the P200,000 retained by the TLRC as service fee remains unaccounted for.
While Bueser intended the project for his legislative district including the municipalities of Liliw, Nagcarlan, Rizal, and Victoria as well as San Pablo City, local government officials issued certifications that no trainings or livelihood projects were conducted in their areas either by AFPI or TLRC.
The Sandiganbayan reminded parties that the power to grant or deny the requested leave is addressed to the sound discretion of the court and it was tasked by the Supreme Court to determine whether the accused is merely trying to stall the proceedings.
“After examining the prosecution’s evidence and the parties’ arguments, this Court rules that granting accused Lacsamana, Cunanan, Figura, and Jover leave to file their respective demurrers to evidence will merely delay the proceed,” the court declared.
