Court allows ex-Camarines Norte gov to post bail

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has allowed former Camarines Norte governor Jesus Typoco Jr. to post bail of P100,000 on the charges of malversation of public funds filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman.

“The evidence of guilt is not strong enough to justify a denial of the application for bail of the accused,” a resolution issued by the anti-graft court’s Second Division read.

Aside from Typoco, former provincial treasurer Lorna Coreses was also allowed to post bail.

Both respondents and Ariston Villareal, then the schools division superintendent, were indicted by the Office of the Ombudsman in May 2011 for allegedly pocketing some P300,000 in provincial funds intended as financial assistance to the Daet Elementary School for the repair of a computer room in 2005.

Government prosecutors alleged that “the accused knew well that no financial assistance had been extended to the Daet Elementary School because the amount was misappropriated to their personal use and despite demand, they failed to return the amount to the prejudice of the government.”

Typoco and Coreses filed their petitions to post bail questioning the strength of the evidence against them.

The Sandiganbayan resolution penned by Associate Justice Oscar Herrera Jr. stated that during the hearings on the petitions for bail, “the prosecution did not present any evidence that Typoco took the amount of P300,000 in question and misappropriated the same to his personal use and benefit.”

On the other hand, prosecution witness Jesusa Velasco testified that she gave Coreses the sum of P295,000 representing proceeds of the check payable to Ma. Rhona Obusan for the computer education program of the school, the ruling said.

“However, material facts also revealed during the hearings do not justify reliance on Velasco’s declarations alone,” the court ruled.