Sandigan suspends gov, mayor in alleged fund scams

Two allies of President Benigno Aquino III are on the dock for alleged involvement in two corruption scandals.

The Sandiganbayan has suspended from office Marinduque Gov. Carmencita Reyes for her alleged role in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza over alleged complicity in the misuse of the P15-million pork barrel of former Cebu Rep. Clavel Martinez.

In its Oct. 15 ruling, the antigraft court’s Second Division suspended Reyes for 60 days while she undergoes trial for the diversion of public funds intended for farm inputs for poor farmers in 2004.

Reyes, who ran under the Liberal Party (LP) in 2013, opposed the suspension, saying that it would only benefit her political rivals in the May 2016 elections. She argued that her stay in office would not affect the case since the prosecution witnesses were no longer connected with the provincial government.

The court, however, said the “political considerations or factors being raised by (Reyes) cannot override the mandatory character of the suspension that must be observed by the court.”

Prosecutors from the Office of the Ombudsman had charged Reyes with funnelling P5 million in fertilizer funds to the purchase of a shredding machine and other agriculture equipment without a public bidding.

The amount was part of the multimillion-peso Ginintuang Masaganang Ani Program during the Arroyo administration.

Meanwhile, the antigraft court’s Fifth Division meted out a 90-day suspension on Radaza and three other local officials in connection with the misuse of P15 million in Priority Development Assistance Funds (or pork barrel) of Martinez in 2001.

Also suspended were Cebu Board Member Celestino Martinez III and Bogo City Councilors Rhett Minguez and Cresencio Verdida.

At the time, Celestino was mayor of Bogo town, while Radaza, who is seeking reelection next year under the LP, was municipal treasurer. Marlon Ramos