Sandiganbayan building facade. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—A former official of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Jose Taruc V on Thursday pleaded before the Sandiganbayan not guilty on the crime of plunder.
Taruc is one of the co-accused of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a plunder case in connection with alleged misuse of PCSO funds.
The anti-graft court’s first division set the trial on March 26. The court also submitted for resolution Taruc’s petition for bail after the prosecution said it will use the same evidence it has presented against the other accused.
Meanwhile, the prosecutors did not oppose Taruc’s bid that he be detained at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame.
Taruc left the country in July 2012 before the Bureau of Immigration could issue a hold departure order against them.
His lawyer, Atty. Boni Tacardon said his client has no plans on becoming a state witness.
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