Sandiganbayan sets Calapan mayor arraignment

The Sandiganbayan has found probable cause to indict Mayor Paulino Leachon of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, for graft over the use of city dump trucks and their drivers to deliver sand to a private lot.

The indictment was approved despite the withdrawal of state prosecutors from the case.

The antigraft court’s fourth division has set on May 5 the arraignment of Leachon.

Justices Gregory Ong, Jose Hernandez and Maria Cristina Cornejo approved the filing of the charges against Leachon, Calapan City engineer Benjamin Acedera, barangay captain Ernesto Vinas and Juan Vinas for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Sufficient evidence

The charges were filed by the Office of the Ombudsman almost two years ago in connection with the use of five dump trucks owned by the city government, including their drivers, to deliver to and unload sand on the property of Juan Vinas “without the corresponding payment of rentals, to the damage and prejudice of the city government.”

Leachon posted a bail of P30,000 after he was issued a warrant of arrest while three of his coaccused are now the subjects of warrants of arrest issued by the Sandiganbayan.

In its ruling on April 4, the Sandiganbayan found sufficient the evidence presented by complainant Nilo H. Baculo.

The antigraft court said evidence needed to support the finding of probable cause “is not that difficult to attain.”