Acosta’s aunt won’t testify against him

Nereus Acosta. comelec.gov.ph photo

The aunt of presidential adviser Nereus Acosta has changed her mind about testifying against her nephew in their graft case before the Sandiganbayan, and has withdrawn her application to turn state’s  evidence.

In a manifestation and motion filed by her lawyers in the antigraft court’s Fourth Division, Nemia Bornidor said she had decided not to testify against Acosta in the name of peace and justice.

Bornidor said she arrived at her decision after a thorough consultation with her lawyer.

Asking the Sandiganbayan to note that it was unnatural to be a witness against a coaccused, she said justice shall best be served if she desisted from becoming state witness.

Bornidor and Acosta have been charged with graft for the alleged improper release of P2.5 million in financial assistance from then Representative Acosta’s Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel to the Bukidnon Integrated Network of Home Industries Inc. (Binhi), a nongovernment organization in which Bornidor was a project coordinator.

The release took place in 2001, when Acosta was the congressman from Bukidnon.

Bornidor had applied to be a state witness last year, a plea which the Office of the Ombudsman approved. The Sandiganbayan was then asked to accept her as a state witness.

The Ombudsman’s Office of the Special Prosecutor, in asking that Bornidor be made a state witness, had said that she could testify on Acosta’s actual participation in the operations of Binhi, including the identification of projects, determination of sources of funds and donor, and actual use of the funds. Leila B. Salaverria