Ex-PNP chief Razon, 13 others allowed to post bail

MANILA, Philippines – The anti-graft court on Thursday, March 10, ordered the grant of bail to former Philippine National Police chief Avelino “Sonny” Razon Jr and his 13 co-defendants in a malversation case.

In a two-page order signed by Sandiganbayan Associate Justices Jose Hernandez, Alex Quiroz and Geraldine Faith Econg of the 4th division, the court ordered the defendants to post a bail of at least P200,000 each.

The order came in the wake of a recent Supreme Court ruling that nullified a previous no-bail recommendation in relation to a case similar to what Razon and co-defendants are facing.

The court earlier allowed the release of former police general Geary Barias on a P200,000 bail after he invoked the Supreme Court’s pronouncements in an en banc ruling dated December 8, 2015 in the case of People of the Philippines vs. Luzviminda Valdez. The verdict declared malversation of public funds bailable.

Valdez, a former Bacolod City mayor, was accused of filing spurious reimbursements wherein the amounts stated on official receipts were allegedly replaced with bigger figures for a fraudulent claim.

“In line with this Court’s disposition in its Resolution of March 7, 2016 granting accused Geary L. Barias’ motion to fix bail, and conformable to the Supreme Court’s recent decision …, all accused similarly situated as accused Barias in these cases are now likewise allowed to secure their respective provisional liberties by each posting bail,” the Fourth Division ordered.

Aside from Razon, also detained at the PNP Custodial Center without bail since August 28, 2013 were former police Director Eliseo Dela Paz; former Senior Superintendents Emmanuel Ojeda, Reuel Labrado and Superintendent Josefina Dumanew; former Chief Inspector Annalee Forro; PNP non-uniformed personnel (NUP) Alex Barrameda, Nancy Basallo, Patricia Enaje, and Maria Teresa Narcise; and private defendants Tyrone Ong, Oscar Madamba, Evangeline Bais and Pamela Pensotes. (READ: Ex-PNP chief Razon surrenders)

They were charged  with 4 counts of malversation of public funds in connection with anomalous repair and spare parts contract supply deals for the PNP’s V-150 light armored vehicles in 2007 and 2008 amounting to P385.48 million.

The 4 contracts for the repair and maintenance of 28 V-150 Light Armored Vehicles (LAV) awarded to Evans, RJP and Enviro-Aire and parts supply contracts with RKGK Enterprises and Serpenair Group Inc. Dex-Lan Enterprises.

Prosecutors said defendants held a simulated public bidding for the contracts, noting that the Invitation to Bid was supposedly published in Alppa Times News, a “non-existent publication outfit”.

A joint panel of fraud investigators from the Ombudsman and the Commission on Audit reported that documents submitted in support of the repair deal were fake, including delivery receipts, certifications, inspection and acceptance reports, pre-repair and post inspection reports and disbursement vouchers. – Rappler.com