SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan recently dismissed charges of graft and malversation of public funds filed against Estela Pelayo Ramos, a former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor) vice president for finance and treasury, citing insufficient evidence.
In a case filed by the Ombudsman’s office five years ago, they alleged that Pelayo favored the private contractor BIDA Productions in a series of transactions totalling P120.24 million between October 2005 and October 2009.
The prosecution said Ramos illegally disbursed government funds to BIDA Productions in the following amounts:
- “Maligayang Barangay Maagang Pasko 2005” – P6.5 million, check voucher issued October 2005
- “Pinakamaligayang Barangay 2006” – P7.65 million, October 2006
- BIDA Comics – P2.407 million, March 2008
- BIDA Caravan – P12.25 million, June 2008
- Grand BIDA March – P21.241 million, February 2009
- Anti-Illegal Drugs Advocacy/Pagcor’s Social Responsibility Project – P70.19 million, March 2009
In its 132-page resolution, however, the Sandiganbayan Third Division took note that all the payment requests to BIDA Productions were routed through various offices at Pagcor, and had the imprimatur of the heads of those offices, before they reached Ramos’ office.
These payments were released based on a number of memoranda from Pagcor corporate communications head Edward King to then-chairman and CEO chief executive officer Efraim Genuino.
“In these memoranda, King requested for budget approval of various BIDA projects. The requests were invariably approved by the Pagcor Board of Directors,” the anti-graft court noted.
It added: “There is absolutely nothing from the records of these cases that demonstrates that accused Ramos had a role in the selection of BIDA Production/Foundation Inc., as the project partner of Pagcor.”
Thus, the Sandiganbayan said, it “is constrained to grant the accused’s demurrer to evidence for lack of sufficient evidence to warrant her conviction of the crimes charged against her.”
“The requests for financial assistance came from the Pagcor’s top level management…. Thus, it is inconceivable for accused Ramos, …to override the judgment of Genuino,” the Sandiganbayan said.
The resolution was penned by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, chairperson of the Third Division. Associate justices Bernelito Fernandez and Ronald Moreno concurred. – Rappler.com
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