Politicians facing plunder raps among poll winners

Several politicians facing plunder or graft charges before the Sandiganbayan or the Office of the Ombudsman are among the winners in the congressional race in their respective districts.

Most prominent among them are Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo, who ran unopposed, and Imelda Marcos of Ilocos Norte.

Arroyo is under hospital arrest for plunder at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. The case stemmed from the alleged misuse of more than P300 million in Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office funds.

Marcos is facing charges in connection with the recovery of the ill- gotten wealth her family allegedly amassed during martial law.

Another detained reelected lawmaker is Abdullah Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte, who is accused of diverting P5 million in public funds to ghost projects in 2004.

Based on the complaint, the money went to the Lanao Foundation Inc., which Dimaporo organized in 1994.

He represents Lanao del Norte’s second district. His wife, incumbent first district Rep. Imelda, switched posts with son Khalid, the outgoing governor.

The Dimaporos have been ruling the province since before martial law. The gov- ernor then was the late Ali Dimaporo.

Reelected Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Aurora Cerilles is facing graft charges in connection with the alleged overpriced medical supplies worth P7 million procured when she was governor.

Her husband Antonio is incumbent governor. They have alternately switched posts.

At least three former congressmen who have pending plunder or graft cases have reclaimed their congressional seats.

They are former Customs commissioner Ruffy Biazon, who is succeeding his father, former senator and incumbent Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon; Prospero Pichay Jr., who is taking over from his brother Philip as representative of Surigao del Sur’s first district, and Ricky Sandoval of Malabon, who beat former senator Tessie Aquino Oreta.

Biazon is among several former and incumbent lawmakers accused of misusing their pork barrel funds.

The most prominent among them are incumbent senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr., who are facing plunder and graft cases.

Charged with them is alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim- Napoles.

Sandoval is facing charges in connection with the P728- million fertilizer fund scam during the Arroyo administration.

As for Pichay, former Local Water Utilities Administration chief, the Office of the Ombudsman has indicted him and other LUWA officials for allegedly spending P1.5 million in agency funds for a chess tournament.

In Davao del Sur, former congressman Douglas Cagas was elected governor despite facing charges for the murder of journalist Nestor Bedolido in 2011

Cagas’ wife Mercedes won a new term as lone representative of the province.