The Sandiganbayan has allowed former Muntinlupa City mayor Aldrin L. San Pedro to present Judge Byron San Pedro to testify on his moral character in his graft case involving the P97.52 million purchases of firetrucks and ladder in 2008 and 2009. In his motion to present additional witness, San Pedro said Judge San Pedro of the Taguig City regional trial court (RTC) was never mentioned as among the witnesses to be presented during the trial. He said that as a result, Judge San Pedro was not named in the pre-trial order issued by the anti-graft court on April 11, 2022. The former mayor said that Judge San Pedro “is necessary to be called on the stand so that he will confirm or corroborate the statement made by the accused in his judicial affidavit.” He also said that “the Honorable Judge was the former City Administrator of accused during his second term, and he has personal knowledge on the facts pertaining to the character of the accused." San Pedro’s motion was granted in the anti-graft court’s resolution “in the interest of substantial justice and due process." The resolution was written by Second Division Chairperson Oscar C. Herrera Jr. with the concurrence of Associate Justices Edgardo M. Caldona and Arthur O. Malabaguio. San Pedro was named in graft charges together with private individual Angel O. Palmiery in the P97,520,000 loan sourced by Muntinlupa City from the Land Bank of the Philippines’ Omnibus Term Loan Facility as payment to Palmer-Asia for three fire trucks and one aerial ladder truck. The money, paid in four tranches, was received by Palmer-Asia on July 27, 2008; Dec. 15, 2008; Jan. 27, 2009; and March 16, 2009. The Deeds of Sale for the said vehicles were signed on March 27, 2012 and May 20, 2009. The prosecution alleged that the payments  allowed Palmer-Asia to register the vehicles under its name on April 2, 2009; March 25, 2009, March 16, 2009; and Nov. 7, 2014.  It also claimed that Palmer-Asia also mortgaged these with Banco de Oro and AIG PhilAm Savings Bank, and the documents on chattel mortgage were released only on April 23, 2009 and March 31, 2009. It added that the firetrucks were registered under Muntinlupa City’s name only on July 16, 2012, and the aerial ladder truck only on Nov. 25, 2014. It pointed out that the accused's (former mayor San Pedro) actions caused "the Muntinlupa City government to incur interests on its withdrawn loan while being deprived of the use of the procured vehicles, to its damage and prejudice.”