The Sandiganbayan has allowed the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) to withdraw the direct bribery charges and to file a new criminal case for graft against Quezon City Assistant Prosecutor Raul Desembrana.
Originally, Desembrana was charged with extorting P80,000 from a physician who was alleged to have links with the communist movement.
OMB prosecutors said the new case will be filed against Desembrana for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Details of the new case were not available.
The Sandiganbayan said the motion to withdraw is “well taken.”
"Wherefore, based on the foregoing, the compliance with omnibus motion (for withdrawal of information docketed as SB-14-CRM-0427 and for the lifting of the resolution dated July 8, 2015) dated Nov. 10, 2015 is hereby granted. The information in SB-14-CRM-0427 is hereby ordered withdrawn," the court’s resolution stated.
Associate Justice Alex L. Quiroz wrote the resolution that was concurred in by Associate Justices Lorifel L. Pahimna and Bayani H. Jacinto.