News Briefs: Binay seeks OsMak trial postponement

Binay seeks OsMak trial postponement

Former Makati City Mayor Elenita Binay has asked the Sandiganbayan to postpone her trial for graft and malversation indefinitely, as she intends to elevate two procedural issues to the Supreme Court. Binay, who faces two counts each of graft and malversation over the allegedly anomalous purchase of P45-million sterilizers and hospital beds for Ospital ng Makati (OsMak), insisted on separate proceedings and the inhibition of Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang. Since the Sandiganbayan Third Division denied her motions on Jan. 13 and again on March 22, Binay said she plans to challenge the resolutions before the high court. Binay stressed that proceeding with her trial while the Supreme Court petition went on would be “premature and might result in confusion with respect to the presentation of evidence.” Trial is currently set to begin on April 19.—VINCE F. NONATO

Bulacan environment execs axed over illegal mining

The Office of the Ombudsman has meted out a lifetime ban from government service against two former officials of the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office for approving the transport of minerals by two operators who lacked a small-scale mining permit. The Ombudsman announced the dismissal of provincial department head Rustico de Belen, as well as Antonio Cacdac of the Natural Resources Management Division, after they were found guilty of grave misconduct. The case arose from the Ombudsman’s finding that in 2011, De Belen and Cacdac issued six ore transport permits and a mineral ore export permit in favor of Lucila Valdez and Eduardo Mercado despite the lack of a valid and existing small scale mining permit from the provincial governor.—VINCE F. NONATO

CA upholds BOC agent’s dismissal over SALN

The Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman that dismissed from government service a Bureau of Customs (BOC) agent for not filing his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth and for failing to declare two luxury cars, shares of stocks and other property in his filed SALNs. In a 22-page decision, the appellate court’s 14th Division said the Ombudsman was correct in dismissing BOC special agent Victor Barros for alleged unexplained wealth. The court ruled that Barros failed “to satisfactorily explain the accumulation of his wealth or even identify the sources of such accumulated wealth.” “The documents Barros presented, if any, like those purportedly showing that his relatives remitted money, do not prove that they did in fact contribute or remit money,” the court added.—JEROME ANING

Slow Ombudsman probe junks case versus Cerilles anew

Zamboanga del Sur 2nd District Rep. Aurora Cerilles has been let off the hook anew by the Sandiganbayan for graft charges due to “inordinate delay” by the Office of the Ombudsman. The Sandiganbayan First Division dismissed the graft case against the then-governor for allegedly misusing the P14.9-million pork barrel funds of her husband, then-2nd District Rep. and current Gov. Antonio Cerilles, in 2008. Also cleared of charges were bids and awards committee members Rino Soria, Evelyn Panuncialman, Wenefreda Cañada and Mark Anthony Padayhag. The case was quashed because it took the Ombudsman five years and five days to bring the case to court.—VINCE F. NONATO