GRAFT CHARGES. Edgardo Dahino, ex-assistant regional director of the Department of Agriculture - Caraga, is among the four top former officials of the agency arrested by the Butuan City police on Thursday (June 22, 2023). The Sandiganbayan issued arrest warrants for graft and malversation charges. (Photo courtesy of PRO-13)
BUTUAN CITY – Four ex-officials of the regional agriculture office here facing graft charges were arrested, the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13) said Friday.
“We are tasked to enforce the law in a manner that treats all individuals equally, regardless of their social status or positions,” PRO-13 chief, Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, said in a statement.
Those arrested were Edgardo Dahino, 67, former Department of Agriculture-Caraga (DA-13) assistant regional director; Jessica Da-An, 62, ex-chief administrator and finance officer; Merylinda Santos, 65, former budget officer; and Gerry Leop, 54, ex-regional accountant.
They are connected with the 2004 fertilizer fund scam allegedly masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles, the so-called pork barrel queen.
The four former officials were allegedly responsible for the Agricultural Reinforcement Project entered into by the municipality of Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte with Napoles-linked non-governmental organization Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc.
They were separately arrested Thursday in this city by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Agusan del Norte.
All four are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices) and Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code for malversation.
A bail bond of PHP210,000 each was set by the Sandiganbayan 4th Division for their temporary liberty. (PNA)
