Mabilog graft case junked due to inordinate delay

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has dismissed a graft case filed against Interior Undersecretary and former Iloilo City mayor Jed Mabilog due to the failure of the prosecution to resolve the complaint within the required period.

In a 25-page resolution penned by Sandiganbayan Third Division chair Associate Justice Karl Miranda, the court granted the motion to quash the information filed by Mabilog, and lifted the hold order issued against him.

Mabilog has been accused of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for awarding the contract to tow and clamp illegally parked vehicles to 3L Towering Services without a public bidding.

In his motion, Mabilog argued that the charges were baseless and that his constitutional right to a speedy disposition of the case was violated.

Although the anti-graft court ruled that the information has sufficient elements of the offense charged, it said the case suffered an “untenable” delay.

The court cited the seven years, 10 months and seven days that passed between the filing of the original complaint on April 23, 2015, and the filing of the information in court on March 2, 2023.

The Sandiganbayan said the ombudsman failed to justify the delay in the filing of the information.

The anti-graft court said Mabilog had raised the issue during his arraignment.

The Third Division said that state prosecutors failed to prove that Mabilog suffered no prejudice from the delay.