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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandiganbayan to Rep. Villafuerte: Court decisions 'based on evidence'

Sandiganbayan to Rep. Villafuerte: Court decisions 'based on evidence'

Published May 4, 2021 11:55 am

Sandiganbayan

The Sandiganbayan has denied the motion of Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. Luis Raymund "LRay" F. Villafuerte Jr. to expunge or delete from the records the prosecution's memorandum which was filed in his graft cases.

Villafuerte and his co-accused, Naga Petron Fuel Express Zone owner Jeffrey Lo, were charged in three graft cases involving alleged anomalous purchase of P20 million worth of fuel when the legislator was still the governor of Camarines Sur.

Last Feb. 3, the prosecution filed a memorandum to which Villafuerte and Lo objected in their motions.

But the anti-graft saw no reason to approve their motions.

"At any rate, the submission of memoranda is discretionary on the part of the Court. The Court's judgment will be based on the facts established by the evidence adduced by the parties, and not on said memoranda," the court’s resolution stated.

The resolution was issued by Associate Justices Sarah Jane T. Fernandez, Karl B. Miranda and Kevin Narce B. Vivero.

Last March 2, the anti-graft court dismissed Villafuerte’s other graft case involving P6.3 million security service contracts in 2008 and 2009.

Also dismissed on a demurrer to evidence – a pleading to junk the case on alleged weakness of the prosecution’s evidence – were the charges against Villafuerte’s co-accused former Rural Health Physician Bernadette Galan Carlos and Medical Officer III Gerardo Nolasco Villafuerte.

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