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Thursday, September 01, 2005
Sandiganbayan orders arrest of ex-vice guv, 6 others
By Aquiles Zonio
SARANGANI PROVINCE -- The Sandiganbayan 5th Division ordered the arrest of a former vice governor, a former board member, and five dismissed capitol officials and employees implicated in a P46 million fund scam.
In the arrest warrants dated August 23 and signed by Associate Justice Maria Cristina Cortez Estrada of the Sandiganbayan 5th Division, ordered arrested were former Sarangani vice governor Felipe Constantino and former provincial board member Marlind Marcelo.
In the same order, Estrada likewise ordered the arrest of former provincial accountant Maria Camanay, former provincial agriculturist Romeo Meole, Patricio Sol, Nicalos Sunio, and Suzette Clerigo.
The former government officials and provincial employees were earlier ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman due to administrative complaints filed against them.
The Sandiganbayan set a P40,000 bail for each of the accused.
In September 2003, the Sarangani People's Action for Reform and Good Governance (Spare-Go) filed administrative and criminal charges against provincial officials and employees linked to a multi-million fund scam.
Spare Go said former high-ranking officials of the province diverted more than P46 million in government funds through the use of non-existent cooperatives and organizations and fictitious beneficiaries.
Included in the charge sheet were former Sarangani governor Miguel Escobar, his vice governor, 11 provincial board members and several other appointive and career employees.
So far, only the fifth division has come up with a decision. Other divisions of Sandiganbayan have yet to decide on the criminal case involving the other accused.
Constantino and Marcelo lost their reelection bid rendering the administrative complaints against them moot and academic.
A few months ago, Governor Miguel Dominguez terminated Camanay, Meole, Sunio, Sol and Clerigo after the Ombudsman-Manila decided with finality that they were guilty of the charges hurled against them.
Senior Superintendent Efren Valeriano, Sarangani Provincial Police Director, said he received the Sandigabayan arrest order via registered mail on Wednesday.
Valeriano added that he had already formed a team to implement the arrest order from the anti-graft court.
Reverend Avelino Sichon, vice chair of Spare-Go, lauded Sandiganbayan for issuing such order.
"This goes to show that stealing government money will not go unpunished if the people will only be vigilant. We are now reaping the fruits of our vigilance and sacrifices," Sichon said.
(August 29, 2005 issue)
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