Sandiganbayan junks bid to dismiss graft case of private firm in fertilizer case

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has denied the motion of BALS Enterprises proprietor Jonar Buraga Balisi Jr., to have his graft case dismissed.

Balisi is one of the coaccused in the graft case against former officials of the Department of Agriculture over the alleged irregular purchase of liquid fertilizers in 2004.

Earlier in October, Balisi filed a motion to dismiss, saying his right to a speedy disposition of his case has been violated, due to inordinate delay.

In his motion, Balisi said it took five years from the filing of the complaint before a case was lodged before the Sandiganbayan, with no explanation from the Office of the Ombudsman over the delay.

However, the antigraft court said he should have filed the motion citing inordinate delay long before the case made it to the Sandiganbayan. —PATRICIA DENISE M. CHIU