Ex-PNP chief posts P.5-M bail

MANILA, Philippines - After more than two years in jail, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Avelino Razon Jr. was finally allowed to post bail in the case involving the anomalous P400-million repair of light armored vehicles in 2007.

The Sandiganbayan said Razon paid a total of P520,000 on Wednesday after the anti-graft court allowed him and all his co-accused in a malversation of public funds case to post bail, based on a new Supreme Court (SC) decision.

Sources said Razon, who surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on Aug. 27, 2013, was released from the PNP Custodial Center Wednesday night. Fourteen other PNP personnel have also been released on bail as of yesterday.

Chief Superintendent Phillip Phillips, director of the PNP Headquarters and Support Service, and officers of the custodial center received the respondents’ release papers from the Sandiganbayan on different occasions, said PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor.

Right to liberty

The anti-graft court’s Fourth Division, chaired by Associate Justice Jose Hernandez, said the December 2015 ruling of the High Tribunal in the case of Luzviminda Valdez now gives respondents in the malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents case the right to temporary liberty while on trial.

Razon and other PNP officials were held without bail at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame starting in 2013.

However, with the new SC ruling, the anti-graft court said “bail is now a matter of right for those charged with the complex crime of malversation through falsification of public documents even if the amount involved exceeds P22,000.”

Since the Sandiganbayan has granted bail to former police director Geary Barias as a respondent in the case, Fourth Division magistrates said “all accused similarly situated… are now likewise allowed to secure their respective provisional liberties.” 

For those still at large, the anti-graft court said alias warrants of arrest shall be issued against them but they may also post P200,000 bail for each malversation case after their arrest or voluntary surrender.

Barias posted a total of P460,000 bail on Tuesday for the two graft and two malversation charges he is facing.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed the cases against the PNP officials in July 2013. 

Apart from Razon and Barias, also indicted were 20 other PNP officials led by former comptroller Eliseo dela Paz; Teodorido Lapuz IV, then acting director for Logistics Support Services; Emmanuel Ojeda, Reuel Leverne Labrado, Annalee Forro, Henry Duque and Victor Puddao, all members of the LSS-Bids and Awards Committee; and Reynaldo Varilla and Charlemagne Alejandrino, both of the National Headquarters-BAC.