Villafuerte posts bail in graft case

MANILA, Philippines - Former Camarines Sur governor Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. has posted P90,000 bail after the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest warrant against him last week.

The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division has yet to schedule a preliminary conference, which will mark the start of trial of Villafuerte on graft charges. He earlier had been arraigned conditionally when he asked for a permit to travel abroad.

Villafuerte’s co-accused, businessman Jeffrey Lo of Petron Fuel Express, also posted P90,000 bail last Monday.

Villafuerte was indicted in August last year for alleged misuse of P20 million in public funds from January to April 2010.

Former provincial board member Carlo Batalla lodged the complaint against Villafuerte in July 2011, alleging that the provincial government bought fuel from Lo without any public bidding.      

Villafuerte “was not at liberty to ignore the almost peremptory competitive bidding requirement mandated by Republic Act 9184,” the Office of the Ombudsman said after looking into the allegations.