CAUAYAN Mayor John Rey Tabujara was acquitted by the Sandiganbayan of his graft charges.
Based on the order signed by Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta, chairperson of the Seventh Division dated September 7, 2018, the acquittal of the case against Tabujara is due to the failure of the prosecution to prove the guilt against him beyond reasonable doubt.
The order also said the cash bond posted by the mayor of P50, 000 is ordered released, and the order issued by Sandiganbayan on July 18, 2016, is set aside.
The order issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) incorporating his name in the Hold Departure List was recalled and cancelled.
The case stemmed from the complaint of May Joy Magbanua, who was the municipal health office nurse of Cauayan in 2010.
Magbanua was transferred by Tabujara in Cauayan District Hospital to Barangay Talacdan also in Cauayan due to the outbreak of dengue fever that affected 20 people and killed two persons.
Magbanua cried foul at being handed a new assignment and appealed the same case to the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
Based on the order, there is an absence of sufficient evidence showing that Tabujara unjustifiably held in abeyance the implementation of the order of reassignment of Magbanua and that the prosecution was not able to establish beyond reasonable doubt all of the elements of the violation of the law.
Having found that the prosecution has failed to establish the guilt of Tabujara by proof beyond reasonable doubt, his acquittal is warranted, the anti-graft court said.
It can be recalled that Tabujara had meted a 90-day preventive suspension on August 2017 in relation to this case.