Sandigan orders arrest of Camarines Norte gov

The Sandiganbayan’s second division ordered yesterday the arrest of Camarines Norte Gov. Jesus Typoco Jr. for allegedly failing to settle a P15-million debt with a businessman.

Associate Justice Edilberto Sandoval, who chairs the second division, signed the arrest warrant for Typoco. A 30,000 bail was recommended for his temporary liberty.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed the graft case against Typoco last February based on a complaint filed by businessman Ildefonso Macaraig due to his alleged refusal to pay the P15-million debt despite repeated demands.

Typoco, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, caused undue injury to Macaraig, owner and proprietor of Crown I.B.M. Trading, when he failed to settle the debt.

Records show that Typoco contracted Macaraig’s company in 2001 to supply the provincial government with 7,219 armchairs, 180 sets of gardening tools and 100 soil perforators, costing a total of P14,999,980.

But after the goods had been delivered, Typoco said payment could not be made because funds were unavailable.

In his counter-affidavit, Typoco said it was Macaraig who personally initiated the transaction and insisted on delivering the items despite being aware that the provincial government lacked funds for them.

Typoco added that there was no malice or bad faith in the purchase, claiming that there was no intention to defraud Macaraig since the businessman knew about the circumstances of the purchase and that there was no undue injury caused to the government or any party.

However, in its resolution, the Ombudsman said it found probable cause to charge Typoco with graft, adding that he caused undue injury to Macaraig when he repeatedly ignored demands for payment.

The Sandiganbayan sent copies of the arrest warrant for Typoco to the police chiefs of Camarines Sur and Daet, the capital town, and the Bicol director of the National Bureau of Investigation.