North Cotabato gov pleads not guilty to graft raps

MANILA, Philippines - North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza has entered a not guilty plea on the graft charges she is facing before the Sandiganbayan.

Mendoza appeared yesterday before the anti-graft court’s first division, where the allegations against her were read.

The anti-graft court scheduled the preliminary conference on Nov. 2, 3, 4 and 9 and the pre-trial on Nov. 10.

Mendoza, who is out on bail, was charged with three counts of graft over a fuel purchase anomaly in 2010.

The Office of the Ombudsman said the provincial government procured without public bidding diesel fuel worth P2.4 million from a gasoline station owned by her mother.