Sandiganbayan defers arraignment of Toledo Mayor Osmeña

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has deferred the arraignment of Mayor John Osmeña of Toledo City in Cebu, who is facing graft charges for withholding real property taxes.

In a resolution approved on Friday, the Third Division led by chairperson Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang rescheduled the arraignment to March 22 to accommodate the request of Osmeña’s camp.

Cabotaje-Tang asked the court sheriff to check whether Osmeña was in the Sandiganbayan premises as his counsel claimed. The mayor was inside his car awaiting the arraignment to be rescheduled.

Osmeña, a former senator and grandson of former President Sergio Osmeña, was accused of violating R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when he withheld the quarterly real property tax shares of Barangays Daanlungsod and Sangi in 2014 and 2015.

He explained in a prior motion that he intentionally restricted the release of the property taxes due to a boundary dispute between the two barangays. /ee

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