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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Sandiganbayan denies accused's motion to expunge affidavit

Sandiganbayan denies accused's motion to expunge affidavit

Published Jul 31, 2021 02:15 pm

Sandiganbayan

The Sandiganbayan has denied the plea of a co-accused in graft and malversation cases to strike off his affidavit and to expunge it from the records.

Denied was the motion filed by Remus C. Villanueva, representative of LCV Design and Fabrication Corporation (LCV) and co-accused of former Malabon Rep. Federico Sandoval II.

In filing the cases against them, the prosecution claimed that in 2004 Sandoval purchased from LCV one unit Tornado Brush Chipper for P3 million and charged it against the Farm Input Fund for the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The prosecution alleged that the purchase was done without public bidding and Sandoval resorted to direct contracting and, thus, gave unwarranted benefit to LCV.

In his motion to expunge his affidavit, Villanueva told the Sandiganbayan he did not know and has never met Toni Faye J. Tan, the lawyer who notarized the affidavit.

However, the anti-graft court denied his plea since Villanueva’s justification to expunge his affidavit is not a ground under the New Rules of Evidence or the Judicial Affidavit Rule.

"Hence, while the answer of the witness on cross-examination may have a bearing on his credibility as well as the probative value of his testimony, it is not a ground to strike-off the record the judicial affidavit constituting his direct testimony," the court’s resolution stated.

The resolution was written by Associate Justice Oscar C. Herrera Jr. with the concurrence of Associate Justices Michael Frederick L. Musngi and Bayani H. Jacinto.

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