The Sandiganbayan upheld its earlier choice to proceed with the trial of former Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) govt director Samuel Aloysius Jardin over alleged receipt of P4.6 million bribe cash.
The anti-graft court docket mentioned Jardin’s enchantment to dismiss the case lacked benefit.
In a 12-page Resolution, the court docket mentioned that the CCTV footage introduced by Jardin in court docket, which didn’t present him receiving such bribe cash, doesn’t negate the prosecution’s allegation that he acquired the P4.6 million money.
The cash allegedly got here from a sure Michelle Sapangila in change for the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience.
The Sandiganbayan additionally cited the court docket testimony of Sapangila who mentioned that she gave the cash within the consolation room, and never within the space captured by the CCTV footage.
“With respect to the quashal of the Information, the accused’s arguments are merely substantial reiterations of those in his previous Motion to Quash and Motion to Suspend Proceedings. The Court had already considered such arguments and found them to be without merit in the assailed Resolution [dated June 13, 2023],” the Sandiganbayan mentioned.
In addition, the anti-graft court docket mentioned that Jardin was given the chance to reply to the costs in opposition to him and that he actively participated within the preliminary investigation by submitting his Verified Answer/Counter Affidavit and supporting proof.
The court docket argued that after the issuance of the Ombudsman’s Resolution dated December 22, 2020 discovering possible trigger to indict the accused in court docket, Jardin was given the chance to hunt reconsideration of the identical, and he filed his Motion for Reconsideration.
“It cannot be said that the accused was deprived of his right to due process,” the court said.
“In fine, the accused failed to convince this Court that the reversal of the assailed Resolution is warranted. Wherefore, the accused’s Motion for Reconsideration is hereby denied for lack of merit,” the Sandiganbayan added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
