Sandigan affirms acquittal of Ifugao lawmaker

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has affirmed the acquittal of Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. as it junked the motion for reconsideration filed by the prosecution pleading otherwise.

Baguilat was earlier cleared of his graft charges after the court granted his motion to dismiss due to the Office of the Ombudsman’s delay in the conduct of the preliminary investigation against him.

He was earlier slapped with violations of Section 3(e) and (g) of R.A. 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for conspiring with private individual Jose Man Singh when he was still the governor of Ifugao.

Baguilat reportedly gave Singh unwarranted benefits when he entered into a contract with him for the purchase of a secondhand Isuzu Wagon Trooper worth P900,000 back in March 2003 without the conduct of a competitive public bidding.

But because the complaint was filed on Sept. 24, 2009 and the case only reached the Sandiganbayan on Feb. 9, 2018, the court dismissed his charges due to inordinate delay.

In affirming the decision, the Sandiganbayan stated in its threepage resolution that the prosecution’s arguments have already been considered and passed upon. “Nothing new was raised in the motion. The delay in investigation is not justified by the brazen excuse that the COA belatedly submitted its report,” the resolution read.