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MANILA, Philippines – The Sandiganbayan on Monday, August 5, served the warrant of arrest for incumbent Lanao del Norte Rep Abdullah Dimaporo, who is facing graft and malversation charges for his alleged involvement in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam.
Sandiganbayan security personnel got Dimaporo’s fingerprints and took his mugshot at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, where the lawmaker is presently confined. He is undergoing treatment for acute myocardial infarction.
Dimaporo may post a P30,000 bail for the graft charge. The Sandiganbayan, however, granted the recommendation of the Office of the Ombudsman to deny him bail for the malversation case.
Sandiganbayan sources said Dimaporo will remain under hospital arrest pending orders from the Sandiganbayan 5th Division for his transfer.
Dimaporo allegedly granted P5 million in public funds to the non-government organization Lanao Foundation Inc. for the distribution of 10,000 bags of Saka organic fertilizer to farmers in the 2nd district of Lanao Del Norte.
But in a 2012 decision, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said no such distribution of the fertilizer occured.
House leaders earlier said Dimaporo can not invoke parliamentary immunity in this case because he is being accused of a non-bailable offence.
Under the fertilizer fund scam, former Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante allegedly served as the mastermind in diverting government funds to the 2004 campaign of former president and now Pampanga 2nd district Rep Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He is on trial for plunder.
Dimaporo is the 5th solon to be implicated in the case after Nanette Castelo-Daza (Quezon City), Oscar Gozos (Batangas), Federico Sandoval (Navotas City) and Carmencita Reyes (Marinduque).– Rappler.com
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