Sandiganbayan acquits Napoles, 5 others in PDAF scam case

The Sandiganbayan Second Division has acquitted businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and three others of their criminal charges involving the reportedly irregular use of former 3rd District of Nueva Ecija Rep. Aurelio M. Umali's priority development assistance fund (PDAF) back in 2005.

Napoles, together with former Department of Agriculture (DA) Officer-in-charge Regional Executive Director Renato P. Manantan, Accountant Narcisa O. Maningding, and Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc. President Evelyn de Leon were acquitted in SB-19-CRM-0059 for lack of evidence.

Manantan, Maningding, as well as Samahan ng mga Manininda ng Prutas sa Gabi Inc. (SMPGI) officials Anita Tansipek and Corazon Bautista, were acquitted in criminal cases SB-19-CRM-0061 to 0063 for failure of the prosecution to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

"None having been proven, no civil liability may be adjudged against any of the accused in these cases," the dispositive portion of the ruling read.

Filed before the Sandiganbayan are four counts of violation of Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019 or the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act and another three counts of violation of Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code also known as Malversation of Public Funds.

The charges were due to the irregular utilization of Umali's priority development assistance fund (PDAF) worth ₱15 million in 2005, which was supposed to benefit the constituents of the 3rd district of Nueva Ecija.

Out of the ₱15 million, ₱12 million was released on March 1, 2005 while ₱3 million was released on Aug. 8, 2005. Both amounts were disbursed for the implementation of projects separately undertaken with Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation Inc. (MAMFI) for the supply of liquid fertilizers (₱12 million) and SMGPI for the delivery of irrigation pumps (₱3 million).

Both SMPGI and MAMFI, which is owned by Napoles, were chosen as project partners in contravention of the appropriation and procurement laws, and the said nongovernment organizations were unqualified to take on the projects. The prosecution added that the projects were non-existent and were basically "ghost" undertakings.