ACQUITTED. Capitol employees give flowers to Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao after a thanksgiving mass and flag-raising ceremony at the capitol grounds on Monday (Oct. 23, 2023). The Sandiganbayan Seventh Division acquitted Cadiao from violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Sandiganbayan Seventh Division has dismissed the case for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao for lack of jurisdiction.
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores C. Gomez-Estoesta, in her 16-page decision dated Oct. 20, 2023, decided in favor of the Motion for Reconsideration filed by the camp of Cadiao that the Regional Trial Court (RTC) has the exclusive original jurisdiction to any information that “does not allege any damage to the government or any bribery” or if the amount in the alleged damage does not exceed PHP1 million.
The case stemmed from the complaint filed by former Antique General Services Office (GSO) chief Antonio Dela Vega before the Ombudsman in 2018 after he was refused payment of PHP1.6 million for his representation and transportation allowance (RATA) and other benefits during his reassignment to the provincial satellite office in the municipality of Culasi from 2016 to 2018.
The Ombudsman filed the case before the Sandiganbayan on Oct. 26, 2022.
On June 9, 2023, the Sandiganbayan issued a warrant of arrest against Cadiao but posted a PHP90,000 bail at the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCT) in Kidapawan City, Cotabato, where she was on an official travel.
The court further issued a preventive suspension against the governor on Sept. 21.
“The Order of Preventive Suspension furnished the Department of the Interior and Local Government for implementation is recalled," the Ombudsman resolution cited.
The court also ordered the release of the cash bond.
Cadiao said she had mixed reactions when informed of the dismissal, but she would rather be optimistic and look forward to a better Antique.
She had four months of sleepless nights thinking of what would happen with the provincial government while she waited for her preventive suspension to take effect.
“It was a heartbreaking experience that no Antiqueño should suffer,” she said.
Cadiao appealed to her political detractors, whom she believed were behind the complaint of De la Vega, to refrain from going on fishing expeditions that could derail the development of Antique.
She said Antiqueños could look forward to holding the annual provincial Binirayan Festival in December and a peaceful Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) this Oct. 30.
“The Bisita Sacada, or annual visit of the governor to the sugar workers in Negros Occidental, will push through this November,” she said.
Capitol employees held a thanksgiving mass at the capitol ground right after the flag-raising ceremony on Monday and gave flowers to the governor to show their love and support. (PNA)
