Sandigan affirms junking of graft raps vs Locsin brod

MANILA,Philippines — The Sandiganbayan upheld the dismissal of graft charges against a brother of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. in 2011.

In a decision dated Oct. 25, the anti-graft court’s Second Division said there is no reason to reverse its July 2019 ruling junking the criminal cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against former Philippine Communications Satellite Corp. (Philcomsat) directors Enrique Locsin and Manuel Andal in 2011.

Locsin and Andal were tried for graft in connection with their alleged receipt of exorbitant salaries, travel allowances and cash advances from 2003 to 2005.

 But halfway through the trial, they sought the dismissal of the graft case through a demurrer to evidence, which the Sandiganbayan granted, ruling that the prosecution failed to prove its allegations.

Locsin and Andal were accused of receiving “grossly exorbitant salaries” of P300,000 each per year or a total of P900,000 each for three years from 2003 to 2005 in alleged violation of the law that allows a salary of only up to P180,000 annually for an official of government-sequestered corporation.

However, the Sandiganbayan ruled that the allegedly exorbitant salaries were received by the accused for their positions as directors of Philcomsat Holdings Corp., a publicly listed holding corporation owned by Philcomsat.