Tuluyan nang ibinasura ng Sandiganbayan Fifth Division ang kaso laban kay dating Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes kaugnay ng fertilizer fund scam.
Sa 11-pahinang desisyon, ibinasura ng korte ang motion for reconsideration na inihain ng prosekusyon sa kaso ni Reyes, Department of Agriculture Regional Technical Director Rodolfo Guieb at Regional Executive Director Dennis Araulllo.
“Wherefore, premises considered, the prosecution’s Motion for Reconsideration is hereby DENIED for lack of merit,” saad ng desisyon.
Hiniling ng prosekusyon na baliktarin ang desisyon na nagbasura sa kaso dahil sa inordinate delay. Nangyari ang sinasabing krimen noong 2004 nang bumili ng liquid fertilizer na nagkakahalaga ng P3.25 milyon sa Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation.
Mula Agosto 2011 ng ihain ang huling counter affidavit hanggang Abril 2014 ay hindi na umano umusad ang kaso na isinampa noong Setyembre 2016.
“Instead of disputing the length of delay, the prosecution states that the protracted period of investigation, from August 2011 to August 2013, was necessary to thresh out and resolve the numerous documents pertaining to the case,” saad ng desisyon. “This, however, does not even begin to justify or even explain the other ten years during which this case had been pending. The prosecution makes no attempt to explain this decade-long delay in its motion for reconsideration. Thus, the delay of 10 years is still unjustified.”
Ipinunto ng prosekusyon na wala ring inihaing pleading o mosyon ang mga akusado sa Ombudsman upang bilisan nito ang resolusyon ng kaso.
“At the current state of case law on the matter of of speedy disposition of cases, it is sufficient that the accused have asserted their constitutional right before this Court at the stage of the proceedings.
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