SC reverses Floirendo’s graft conviction

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has reversed a decision of the Sandiganbayan convicting former Davao del Norte congressman Antonio Floirendo Jr. of graft.

In August 2020, the anti-graft court sentenced Floirendo to six to eight years in prison for violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The Sandiganbayan said Floirendo violated the law for having “direct or indirect financial interest” in a joint venture agreement signed in 2003 between the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and his family-owned Tagum Agricultural Development Co. (TADECO).

The complaint was filed in 2017 by former House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

The agreement allowed TADECO to continue using a 3,000-hectare property owned by the BuCor as a banana plantation.

Floirendo was a congressman and no longer a member of the board or officer of TADECO when the joint venture agreement was signed.

In reversing the decision, the high tribunal said the Sandiganbayan hastily concluded that for owning 75,000 shares in TADECO and another 537,950 shares in an investment company, Floirendo had financial interests in the joint venture agreement.

The high court said the prosecution did not present any evidence showing that Floirendo obtained monetary gain or benefits when the joint venture agreement was entered into by the company and BuCor.