Another Arroyo co-accused granted bail
Arrested former COA chief Reynaldo Villar INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The Sandiganbayan on Friday allowed another co-accused of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in P300 million plunder case regarding the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) scam to post bail.
In a resolution released Friday, the anti-graft court allowed former Commission on Audit (COA) Chair Reynaldo Villar to post P1.2-million bail for his temporary liberty.
Villar, was arrested last month in Paranaque after almost two years in hiding. The warrant for his arrest was issued October 2012.
The anti-graft court said that while Villar avoided arrest for a long period of time “the Court is not convinced that accused Villar is a flight risk, considering his long untarnished government service prior to the filing of this case, his advance age (being 72 years old), his stature as a former COA chair and his still being a member of the Bar.”
The court noted that the prosecution opted to adopt in its entirety the proceedings in the petitions for bail of Villar’s other co-accused-Jose Taruc V, Manuel Morato, Raymundo Roquero and Sergio Valencia who were all granted bail.
“The court reviewed and went over therecords of thecase, the testimonies of the witnesses, thestipulations between the parties and the exhibits offered and admitted in evidence…The court has yet to see other evidence clearly ascribing upon accused Villar any act through which participation in the questioned transactions may be deduced,” the court ruling stated.
“While the prosecution correctly posited that direct proof is not essential to establish conspiracy, it failed to point to any of its evidence that will establish any conspiratorial act on the part of accused Villar in the questioned transactions. Thus, the Court is of the view and so holds that the evidence adduced by the prosecution against accused Villar is not strong which will justify the continuous deprivation ofhis liberty by denying him his right to bail,” the anti-graft court said.
The resolution was written by Associate Justice Efren De La Cruz.
On April 1, the Sandiganbayan granted former PCSO Director Jose Taruc temporary freedom after he posted a P1-million bail.
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