Sandigan junks Agri exec’s appeal

The Sandiganbayan has thrown out the appeal of Laureano Mañalac, the former head executive assistant of ex-Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, seeking reconsideration of the court’s graft conviction over the P13.5 million of government funds illegally given to an ineligible farmers’ foundation in 2012.

In a 5-page resolution handed down on 17 January, the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division denied Mañalac’s motion for reconsideration, just two weeks after it also turned down his plea to inhibit all three associate justices of the same division from further handling his graft case.

In August 2023, Mañalac was found guilty of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) for the unlawful release of P13.5 million to Akong Magsasaka Foundation Inc.

He was meted up to 10 years behind bars and was permanently barred from holding public office. The Sandiganbayan also ordered him to pay P13.5 million on top of the penalties.

Alcala, however, walked free from the charges after the Sandiganbayan found insufficient evidence to indicate that the ex-DA chief violated the graft law.

Filed by the Ombudsman in 2018, the case stemmed from the irregular accreditation of IAMFI as the DA development partner for the construction of the Quezon Corn Trading and Processing Center at P13.5 million in 2012.

Mañalac and Alcala were accused of giving unwarranted benefits, advantages or preferences to IAMFI through its late former president, Bautista Ella, notwithstanding that the foundation was ineligible.

The investigation later revealed that IAMFI was controlled by Mañalac.

In July 2019, the Sandiganbayan dismissed the case against Ella owing to his passing.

Court records showed that IAMFI submitted together with its application for accreditation an authenticated articles of incorporation, concealing that Mañalac is an incorporator, which was in violation of the Commission on Audit Circular No. 2007-001, and was “highly irregular.”