Sandigan to proceed with Antonio Floirendo Jr.’s trial for graft

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the validity of the graft charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against Davao del Norte Second District Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. in connection with his alleged unlawful financial interests in a banana plantation doing business with the government.

In a six-page resolution promulgated on Tuesday and released yesterday, the anti-graft court’s sixth division found no merit in Floreindo’s motion to dismiss the case.

The Sandiganbayan dismissed Floirendo’s argument that the ombudsman failed to state his supposed conflict of interest in the transaction between the government and the Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. (Tadeco).

However, the court said it was sufficiently stated in the case information sheet that Floirendo’s ownership of stocks in Tadeco was in violation of Article 6, Section 14 of the Constitution, which prohibits members of the Senate and the House of Representatives from having direct or indirect financial interest in any contract with the government.

“The other arguments of the accused are matters of defense which are better threshed out during the trial,” declared the ruling penned by Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez with Associate Justices  Karl Miranda and Kevin Narce Vivero concurring.

Filed by the ombudsman on Feb. 9, the case stemmed from the allegations of former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez that Floreindo continues to be a member of Tadeco and still owns 75,000 shares of stock worth P7.5 million despite his election as congressman.

Floirendo had pleaded not guilty to the case during his arraignment in May.