Arrest warrant out vs Neric Acosta

MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan on Thursday, January 24, issued arrest warrants against former Bukidnon Rep Nereus “Neric” Acosta and his mother Socorro in connection with perjury charges against them.

The chairman of the Sandiganbayan 5th Division, Associate Justice Roland Jurado, signed the arrest warrant. The Acostas may post bail bonds of P6,000 each to get temporary liberty. Nereus Acosta is at present the general manager of the Laguna Lake Development Authority.

Mother and son were accused of making bogus declarations in their counter-affidavits filed before the Office of the Ombudsman 7 years ago, in 2006. The perjury complaint was filed in October 2012 by a certain Fernando Balansag.

The original case accused them of unlawfully transfering P5.5 million of the former representative’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), or pork barrel, to a non-government organization supposedly put up and ran by his own relatives — the Bukidnon Vegetable Producers’ Cooperative (BVPC).

They are facing charges for violation of RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees and RA 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Balansag said the Acostas lied in their counter-affidavits when they claimed that the channeling of funds had the concurrence of the Sangguniang Bayan of Manolo Fortich.

Socorro Acosta is the former mayor of Manolo Fortich town. Neric Acosta is a member of President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal Party. 

The Acostas earlier sought dismissal of the charges on the ground that Balansag already executed an affidavit of desistance. – Rappler.com