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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandiganbayan junks graft charge vs ex-Lanao del Norte congressman

Sandiganbayan junks graft charge vs ex-Lanao del Norte congressman

Published Dec 15, 2025 04:37 pm
The Sandiganbayan dismissed on Monday, Dec. 15, the graft charge filed against former Lanao del Norte 1st District congressman Vicente F. Belmonte Jr. for violation of his constitutional right to speedy disposition of his case.
In a resolution, the anti-graft court granted the motion to dismiss filed by Belmonte and quashed the charge for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in the alleged misuse of his P4.85 million priority development assistance fund (PDAF) in 2009.
State prosecutors claimed that Belmonte acted in conspiracy with non-government organization Kabuhayan at Kalusugang Alay sa Masa Foundation Inc. (KKAMFI) President Flerida A. Alberto when he chose the group as his designated project partner in the implementation of livelihood projects in his district.
However, the prosecutors said that KKAMFI reportedly diverted the public funds instead of implementing the PDAF-funded projects.
In his motion to dismiss, Belmonte argued that the complaint was filed against him on May 16, 2022. The approval of the resolution finding probable cause was issued only on April 7, 2025, and the filing of the criminal charge in court was done on Oct. 3, 2025.
Granting the motion, the anti-graft court said that Belmonte's arguments had merit.
"In this case, it took a total of 1,236 days, or three years, four months, 17 days for the OMB to conduct its preliminary investigation, computed from the time the complaint was filed, up to the filing of the Information in Court," the court said.
Thus, it said, it is evident that the OMB exceeded the specified time allotted for preliminary investigation in this case.
The 12-page resolution was written by Associate Justice Bayani H. Jacinto with the concurrence of Associate Justices Maria Theresa V. Mendoza-Arcega and Arthur O. Malabaguio.
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