Inordinate delay: Sandigan junks raps vs ex-CamSur governor

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has dismissed the charges filed against former Camarines Sur governor Luis Villafuerte Sr. in connection with the fertilizer fund scam.

In an 18-page resolution promulgated on July 4, the anti-graft court’s fifth division said there is no justifiable reason for the Office of the Ombudsman to take more than a decade to finish its investigation and file the charges against Villafuerte and his co-accused.

“The... preliminary investigation... dragged on... caused immeasurable and irreparable prejudice to the accused and infringed on their right to speedy disposition of cases guaranteed under the Constitution,” the resolution penned by Associate Justice Rafael Lagos read.

Also cleared of the charges were former provincial accountant Leticia Aliorde, former acting provincial treasurer Mario Alicaway and former assistant agriculturist Jennifer Uy.

The court noted that Task Force Abono started its  investigation on the fertilizer scam in 2006, but it was only in 2012 when it formally endorsed the complaint against the respondents. 

The Sandiganbayan said it took another five years before the ombudsman issued a resolution finding probable cause to charge Villafuerte and his co-accused and another year passed before they were indicted.

The case stemmed from the provincial government’s purchase of 7,142 bottles of liquid fertilizer from Hexaphil Agriventures Inc. in April 2004 without public bidding. Graft probers said Hexaphil was also not an accredited supplier.