The Sandiganbayan has denied the motions of former Bayambang, Pangasinan mayor Ricardo M. Camacho and businessman Willy L. Chua to suspend the proceedings in the graft charges filed against them.
Camacho and Chua were charged with graft for allegedly causing undue injury to the municipality in a Deed of Exchange of Real Properties.
The prosecution claimed that the municipality, through Camacho, allowed the exchange of the town's property with that of Chua's even if the the land owned by the town was bigger and with higher value that that of the property of the businessman.
In seeking the suspension of the anti-graft court's proceedings, Chua claimed there is a prejudicial question pending with the regional trial court (RTC) in Bayambang town where he filed a case for specific performance against the municipality. Camacho adopted Chua's motion to suspend proceedings.
A prejudicial question has been defined as "that which arises in a case the resolution of which is a logical antecedent of the issue involved therein, and the cognizance of which pertains to another tribunal."
In denying the motions, the Sandiganbayan said that Chua's complaint before the RTC involved the validity of the Deed of Exchange. It said the declaration of its validity will not necessarily mean that Camacho did not act with manifest partiality, evident bad faith, or gross inexcusable negligence which led to Chua enjoying unwarranted benefits and causing undue injury to the government, it said.
"The resolution of the issue before the RTC not being necessarily determinative of the accused's guilt or innocence, there is no basis for suspending the proceedings in these cases by reason of prejudicial question," the anti-graft court ruled.
The seven-page resolution was issued by Sixth Division Chairperson Associate Justice Sarah Jane T. Fernandez and Associate Justices Karl B. Miranda and Kevin Narce B. Vivero.