Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia’s move to dismiss graft case junked

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has rejected a move by Cebu Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia seeking to dismiss a graft case filed against her in connection with an allegedly anomalous purchase of a property when she was governor.

Garcia cited the alleged inordinate delay and violation of her rights to a speedy disposition of cases in filing the motion.

In a ruling dated Nov. 19 and obtained by journalists yesterday, the anti-graft court denied Garcia’s claim that it would take the prosecution 30 years to rest its case.

“It’s a mere speculation which cannot be a ground to dismiss the charges,” the Sandiganbayan said, noting there has been no unreasonable lull in the movement of the case.

The court said Garcia’s appeal lacked merit as it was she who filed a series of motions that consumed time and lengthened the proceedings.

The case against Garcia stemmed from the purchase of a 24.7-hectare property intended for a housing project in 2008.

The provincial government, according to the Office of the Ombudsman, spent over P98 million in public funds to buy the Balili property in Tinaan, Naga City.

Anti-graft probers said a  major part of the property was under seawater and not fit for a housing project.

Garcia and her co-accused cited the alleged delay in the  filing of the original complaint before the ombudsman in June 2010. 

Records show that Garcia was indicted two years later, or on July 2012. She and the other accused were arraigned in March 2013.