MANILA – Eleven Bataan provincial officials were acquitted of graft charges after they were implicated in the purchase of a patrol boat in 2006 without public bidding.
The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court cleared all accused on Thursday as it found "no manifest partiality nor evident bad faith on the part of herein accused, and that the accused attempted in good faith to comply with the provisions of Republic Act 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act), " after multiple failed biddings were conducted for the vessel worth PHP142,000.
The group was charged in 2011, along with then-Bataan governor Enrique Garcia and agriculturist Danilo Abrera.
The cases against Garcia and Abrera were dismissed by the Ombudsman in 2012 while another accused, then provincial administrator Rodolfo De Mesa, died in 2020.
Acquitted by the graft court on charges of alleged violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act were agriculturist Imelda Inieto, accountant Alicia Magpantay, treasurer Emerlinda Talento, private supplier Ernesto Asistin Jr., and bids and awards committee members and local officials Ludivina Banzon, Enrico Yuzon, Evangeline Diaz, Godofredo De Guzman, Pedro Baluyot, Angelina Villanueva, and Francisco Caparas. (PNA)
