walks on graft, malversation raps BY PETER TAEIIIGO posed ghost delivery of fertilizers testimonyof sate auditor Edwin the court pointed out. valued at P5 million in 2004. Canios that a random irrterview Oo the allegation of undue THE Sandiganbayan has cleated Prosecutors said the money of 22 fatnet-beteficiaries from Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah injury to the gov€inment, the was released to a non-gooarrr-ani Dimapcro's district revealed that Sandiganbayan noted the state- Dimaporo of one couht each of otganizttron identified as the all received the ferilizer from LFI. ment of the DA that the LFI had graft and malversation of public Lanao Foundation Inc. (I-FL) in The same wimess told the court funds through falsificatiin of demorximted its capability to coospiracy with former provincial that Dimaporo was not even urrdertake the prognm despite low pubJic documents due to lack of agricultudst Isabelo Luna and mqrtiooB{in the Commission on total equiry, evidence. private defendants LFI presidenr Audit's special report coverinq t}re In a 25-page decision dited "The failute of *re prosecution Felizardo Dragon, program officer P728 million Fertilizer Funds ftom to prove all the elements of the March 28, 2019, the anti-graft Evangeline Ontiveros, internal dre Depanrnent of Agricutture. courr's Second Division sranted crime of malversatioo of public auditor Rosalinda Bisenio, and In acquitting Dimaporo, the funds through falsification of the defendant's demutrerio evi- executivC director Elmer Sayre. Sandigaobayan noted that the dence io which he challeneed rhe pubiic documents cast reasotrable LFI was supposed to have used prosecution did not present the doubt on the guilt.of accused sufficiency of the ptosec"ution's tie sum ro putchase 10,000 bags inspection and financial status evidence to support ia allegarions Dimaporo. Consistejnt widi the of Saka Organic Fertilizer for dis- reports tharwete al.legedly falsified constitutional presumption that he defrauded the so\,ne;ment tribution to farmen in the second of in- by Dimaporo. nocence, tle Court rirust acquit the of P5 million iorcnded is ,."i.t r'.. congressional disttict of Lanao "The falsity of dre acceptance accused," the court added. to famers in his legislatir,ne distdcr del_Norte. However, investigators repoits and the distdbution Iist Associate Justice Mchael Fred- Based on the cases filedli,2012. sard there rras no acrual delivetv ot of farmer beneficiades was also erick Musngi penned the ruling the Office of the Ombudsman distribution, not esablished. No vritness was concured in by Associate Justices accused Dimaporo of conspiring 'In bis demurrer to evidence, piesented to prove that accused wrth hve co-defendauts in the sup- Oscat C. Herrera Jr and l-orifel L. the lauzmaker highlighted the Dimaporo falsifi ed documents,,, Pahimna.