Sandiganbayan junks Iloilo solon’s plea on graft case

ILOILO CITY — The Sandiganbayan has denied a motion by Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas to question the sufficiency of evidence in a graft case he is facing at the antigraft court.

In a 9-page resolution on Jan. 28, the Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division denied the motion for leave of court to file demurrer to evidence.

It instead directed the legislator to present his defense during trial.

The court said Treñas needed to present evidence to prove his innocence.

Press club

The resolution said “the pieces of evidence presented … are strong enough to warrant conviction.”

Treñas was charged with graft for alleged irregularities in the use of P500,000 from Sen. Loren Legarda’s pork barrel funds to build the Iloilo Press Club (IPC) building in Molo District.

Treñas, who was then mayor, was charged with giving “unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference” to IPC.