Sandiganbayan junks plunder case vs Erap pal Dichaves

The Sandiganbayan has dismissed the plunder case against businessman Jaime Dichaves, the alleged dummy of former President Joseph Estrada, due to the “failure of the prosecution to present additional evidence to support the existence of probable cause” against him.

The court’s Fourth Division issued the verdict on Oct. 23.

Dichaves, then a board member of Belle Corp., claimed to be owner of the “Jose Velarde” account at Equitable-PCI Bank.

But the Sandiganbayan ruled that Estrada was the true owner of the said account, which he allegedly used to stash kickbacks received from the government’s purchase of Belle Corp. shares, as well as illegal gambling operations and misused tobacco tax shares. —Vince F. Nonato