Sandiganbayan: PDAF cases to be raffled on Friday

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Sandiganbayan: PDAF cases to be raffled on Friday
Anti-graft court Sandiganbayan will be determining on Friday, June 13, which of its 5 divisions will be handling the PDAF scam cases

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Anti-graft court Sandiganbayan will be determining on Friday, June 13, which divisions will be handling the cases in relation to the illegal diversion of millions in development funds to fake non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

“Per directive of the Supreme Court (SC), PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) cases will be included in regular raffle on Friday,” lawyer Renato Bocar, interim spokesperson for the Sandiganbayan, said in a text message.

In a one-page notice, the SC en banc directed the Sandiganbayan to proceed with the regular raffle of the cases involving the siphoning of millions of pesos in PDAF to dubious NGOs. A number of these NGOs turned out to be controlled by businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.

The PDAF is a lump sum allocation at the discretion of lawmakers meant for their community development pet projects.

The regular raffle of cases to determine who among the Sandiganbayan judges and which of the 5 Sandiganbayan divisions will be handling the cases filed is scheduled every Friday.

A special raffle can be conducted, however, on any day. Any party to the case may file a motion for a special raffle. The Sandiganbayan can also motu propio or on its own initiative hold a special raffle “if there’s a valid and urgent reason for such.”

The Ombudsman filed plunder charges on June 6 and graft charges on Monday, June 9, against Napoles and Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla Jr, and Jinggoy Estrada.

No special raffle

On Tuesday, June 10, Bocar said the anti-graft court decided not to conduct a special raffle of the PDAF scam cases.

Bocar said the decision not to hold a special raffle this week on the PDAF scam cases was “a matter of judicial courtesy” to the SC.

The SC’s notice to the anti-graft court was part of its commitment to act on Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales’ request for the creation of at least two special court divisions within the Sandiganbayan to hear and decide on the PDAF scam cases. (READ: Ombudsman to SC: Create special divisions for PDAF cases)

The SC, however, wanted to hear the side of the Sandignbayan and the accused in the PDAF scam on whether to grant Morales’ request. (READ: SC seeks Sandigan’s side on PDAF special courts

What happens if request is granted?

If and when the SC orders by next week the creation of two special Sandiganbayan divisions to try the PDAF scam cases exclusively, the cases already raffled by Friday will simply have to be transferred to these divisions.

Bocar explained that the conduct of distribution of PDAF scam cases to various divisions in the Sandiganbayan will be discussed by the raffle committee also on Friday.

To be discussed on Friday is whether the cases will be consolidated per senator. This is a possibility, as these cases have common accused and witnesses involved. The cases also use common documentary evidence.

If approved, there will be 3 sets of cases to be raffled off to the 5 divisions on Friday.

Revilla faces 16 counts of graft, Enrile faces 15 counts, and Estrada faces 11. Napoles and Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos are both co-accused in all 42 counts of graft of the 3 senators.

In their plunder cases, all 3 senators are co-accused with their respective aides and Napoles.

Like Napoles, her driver-bodyguard John Raymond de Asis is co-defendant in the plunder cases of all 3 senators. Napoles’ nephew John Ronald Lim is a co-defendant in the plunder cases of Enrile and Revilla. – Rappler.com

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