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Paige Javier

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<div><span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><br/></span><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has upheld its decision to convict former Cagayan De Oro representative and mayor Constantino Jaraula and four others of graft over a fertilizer fund scam in 2004.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Last July, the Second Division found Jaraula, Department of Agriculture officials Reina Legaspi Lumantas, Claudia Artazo, and Joel Rudinas, and PSDFI president Evelyn de Leon guilty beyond reasonable doubt for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The same decision cleared the accused of malversation of public funds.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Jaraula and the four accused were sentenced to six to 10 years imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from public office.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In a 35-page resolution promulgated on November 4, the Second Division said the prosecution proved that the accused acted in conspiracy to give unwarranted benefits and advantage to the Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. (PSFDI) to supply and distribute P3 million worth of fertilizers in Cagayan de Oro.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;As previously discussed in the now assailed Decision, there is no denying that the acts performed by the accused were committed towards the common goal of awarding the project to PSDFI and releasing government funds to it after,&quot; it said.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;With all the attempts at providing another reasonable explanation as to why conspiracy did not exist being untenable, and there being no theories presented apart from those already fully threshed in the Decision, the Court finds no reason to deviate from its previous finding that conspiracy existed,&quot; the resolution added. </span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Second division said that exoneration from an administrative case does not result in an acquittal in a criminal case.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;While the Court dismissed the case for Malversation, as it found that the exact amount of undue injury suffered by the government was not proven due to the lack of evidence that would show that the fertilizers were not delivered, they can nonetheless still be held liable under the second mode defined by law,&quot; the anti-graft court said.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;As elucidated by the Court in its now assailed Decision, the benefits granted to PSDFI is highly unwarranted. The events and actions preceding the transactions involved herein are indicative of the intent to defraud the government into parting with its funds without actually obtaining what it has paid for,&quot; it added.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The former congressman and mayor argued that the court erred in concluding that PSDFI was not accredited and it did not operate or was not based in Cagayan de Oro.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Jaraula maintained that there was no evidence to prove he chose PSDFI as implementing agency and that its equity is miniscule.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">He said the antecedent facts in the decision was solely based on the version presented by the prosecution.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Sandiganbayan did not find merit in the arguments of Jaraula, especially on his reliance on his subordinates when he entered into the agreement with PSDFI.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;The presumption of regular performance of official duty is merely a disputable presumption. When there is sufficient evidence to contradict or overcome the presumption, it must necessarily fail, as in this case. As exhaustively discussed, there is overwhelming evidence that proved the fact that the transaction involved herein is highly irregular,&quot; it said.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Second Division pointed out that Jaraula could not base his prayer for acquittal on the dropping of charges against Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit VII officers.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Meantime, the anti-graft court reconsidered the imposition of civil liability on the accused, after finding partial merit in Jaraula&#x27;s motion.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In the July decision, the accused were jointly ordered to pay P3 million with legal interest of 6 percent per year.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Jarula argued that there was no evidence that the fertilizers were not delivered to local government offices in Cagayan De Oro and to the farmers.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;While all the elements for violation of Sec. 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019 were sufficiently proven by the prosecution, there is a dearth in its evidence to prove the amount of actual injury suffered by the government,&quot; the Sandiganbayan said.</span></div><div><br/></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">&quot;Since the amount thereof cannot be determined with certainty, the Court is inclined to modify its previous ruling that all convicted accused are held jointly and severally liable in the amount of Three Million Pesos (PHP 3,000,000),&quot; it added.</span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>MORE REPORTS:<br/></strong><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/9/sandiganbayan-dismisses-p276-million-ill-gotten-wealth-case-vs-marcoses-1143">Sandiganbayan dismisses P276 million ill-gotten wealth case vs Marcoses</a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/10/imee-marcos-welcomes-sandiganbayan-ruling-1635">Imee Marcos welcomes Sandiganbayan ruling on ill-gotten wealth case</a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/15/sandiganbayan-denies-plea-of-former-neda-chief-over-supposed-delay-in-community-service-1218">Sandiganbayan denies plea of former NEDA official over supposed delay in community service</a></div><div><br/></div>

<p>The Sandiganbayan has upheld its decision to convict former Cagayan De Oro representative and mayor Constantino Jaraula and four others of graft over a fertilizer fund scam in 2004.</p>

The Sandiganbayan has upheld its decision to convict former Cagayan De Oro representative and mayor Constantino Jaraula and four others of graft over a fertilizer fund scam in 2004.

Sandiganbayan upholds ex-Cagayan de Oro mayor’s graft conviction

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Sandiganbayan upholds ex-Cagayan de Oro mayor’s graft conviction

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published November 07, 2024 01:15 PM PHT

Read More:

Sandiganbayan

Constantino Jaraula

Cagayan De Oro

fertilizer fund scam

graft

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