Ex-DA execs’ bid to have graft case dismissed denied

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has denied the motions for reconsideration filed by former Department of Agriculture (DA) executives for lack of merit.

In a resolution, the antigraft court denied former regional executive director Roger Chio and former regional accountant Mariflor Garcia’s motions asking the court to reverse its earlier decision not to quash their graft and malversation charges in relation to the fertilizer fund scam.

Both Chio and Garcia are coaccused in the graft case of former Maguindanao provincial treasurer Osmeña Bandila and provincial accountant John Estelito Dollosa Jr.

Their cases stemmed from their alleged conspiracy to create a fictitious transaction worth P3.25 million with IMB Agri-Supplies on April 14, 2004.

The bogus transaction was supposedly for fertilizer, but there was no liquidation report. —Patricia Denise M. Chiu