Ex-PNP chief Razon seeks bail anew

Retired PNP Director General Avelino Razon Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Retired PNP Director General Avelino Razon Jr. has renewed his plea to the Sandiganbayan for bail in connection with the malversation cases he is facing over alleged ghost repairs of police vehicles in the amount of P385.5 million.

In a memorandum, Razon’s lawyers said government prosecutors failed to present evidence to prove conspiracy in the awarding of the project to a private contractor for the maintenance of 28 V-150 light armored vehicles.

The defense lawyers submitted their memorandum after the antigraft court’s Fourth Division concluded its hearings on the former Philippine National Police chief’s petition for bail.

“(Razon’s) signature on the purchase orders, work orders and disbursement vouchers is not enough to implicate him as a conspirator in any alleged anomaly or corruption behind the repair and refurbishing of the (police vehicles),” the lawyers argued.

Razon, who had posted bail for a separate graft case brought against him, had earlier told the Sandiganbayan that he was not a flight risk, pointing out that he had surrendered his passport to the court and his family all lived in the country.

A former senior aide to ex-President Fidel V. Ramos, Razon was the first chief of the 150,000-strong PNP to be held on graft and malversation charges.

Besides Razon, five other top police officers are being held at the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame after the court ordered their arrest in August 2013.

In the memorandum, Razon maintained that he had yet to be appointed director general when the PNP bids and awards committee gave the contract to the private supplier in June 2007.–Marlon Ramos