Sandiganbayan defers hearing on GMA graft case

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has moved to March 20 and 21 the hearing on the graft charges filed against former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in connection with the national broadband network (NBN) deal.

Former House speaker Jose de Venecia was supposed to take the witness stand yesterday as a prosecution witness.

The anti-graft court’s Fourth Division chaired by Associate Justice Gregory Ong granted the defense’s motion seeking for the postponement of the hearing because of pending issues.

The former president, her husband Jose Miguel Arroyo, former Commission of Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr., and former transportation secretary Leandro Mendoza earlier questioned the Sandiganbayan’s jurisdiction over the case.

According to them, the graft charges should be junked since the alleged offense happened in China and not in the country. They said there was no damage inflicted to the Philippine government because the $329-million contract with China’s ZTE Corp. was rescinded.

The Sandiganbayan rejected their arguments, believing such issues should be addressed during trial. But the respondents appealed the ruling.

“With the abrogation of the contract long before the institution of the criminal complaint, there is no contract to speak of,” Mr. Arroyo, through his lawyer Edna Herrera Batacan, said.