Ex-COA chief seeks bail after arrest for plunder

Arrested former COA chief Reynaldo Villar refuses to answer queries from the media as he left the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame for Sandiganbayan where he filed a petition for bail on Friday, April 25, 2014. Villar is facing plunder charges for the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds. NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Former Commision on Audit (COA) chief Reynaldo Villar appeared Friday afternoon before the Sandiganbayan to file a petition for bail following his arrest for plunder.

Villar is one of the co-accused with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo over the alleged misused of the P366 million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds. He was arrested Thursday afternoon in Paranaque City.

The former COA chairman was transported by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame to present him before the anti-graft court’s First Division.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Fajardo of the National Capital Region Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (NCR-CIDG) said  Villar was arrested after weeks of surveillance.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong said the PNP was conducting a continuous manhunt operation against two other co-accused, former PCSO general manager Rosario Uriarte and former board memeber Fatima Valdes.

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