Sandigan orders arrest of Western Samar gov, 7 others

The Sandiganbayan ordered yesterday the arrest of Western Samar Gov. Milagrosa Tee Tan, six other provincial officials and a private supplier for eight counts of graft and corruption filed against them last September.

Tan belongs to the Liberal Party wing of Sen. Franklin Drilon.

The Sandiganbayan’s fourth division said it found probable cause to prosecute Tan and the seven others for graft based on the complaint of the Isog Han Samar Movement.

Besides Tan, the anti-graft court also ordered the arrest of provincial treasurer Damiano Zerda Conde Jr., budget officer Maximo Darunday Sison, administrative officer Rolando Bolastig Montejo, general services officer Aurelio Bardaje Jr., GSO record officer and inspector Numeriano Legaspi, accountant Romeo Chan Reales and private supplier Reynaldo Angeles Yabut.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez earlier ordered the filing of graft charges against them for the purchases without public bidding of medicines worth P3.9 million, rice and assorted goods worth P10.6 million, and electric fans worth P1.6 million from December 2001 to December 2002.

The Sandiganbayan ordered each of the eight respondents to post a P240,000 bail bond for their temporary liberty.