PORK BARREL SCAM: Ex-lawmaker surrenders at Sandiganbayan

Former Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) party-list Rep. Edgar Valdez surrendered to the sheriff of the Sandiganbayan on Wednesday. 

Valdez, who faces one count of plunder and seven counts of graft for allegedly pocketing P57.78 million worth of kickbacks for funneling his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel from 2004 to 2010 to non-government organizations (NGOs) allegedly owned by alleged pork scam brains Janet Lim-Napoles, was accompanied by his lawyer.

 

The ex-lawmaker was earlier ordered arrested by the anti-graft court, after the court’s Fifth Division found probable cause to put on trial for the said crimes.

 

Aside from Valdez, the court also issued arrest orders against 28 other individuals including Valdez’s co-accused in the plunder charges, Napoles and her driver and bodyguard John Raymund de Asis.

 

Also ordered to be arrested were Valdez’ co-accused in the graft charges, Budget Undersecretary Mario Relampagos, DBM officials Rosario Nuñez, Lalaine Paule and Marilou Bare, former Technology Resource Center (TRC) director Dennis Cunanan and National Agri-Business Corporation (NABCOR) officials Allan Javellana, Rhodora Mendoza and Victor Roman Cacal.

 

Also ordered to be arrested were other co-accused in the graft charges, namely, Evelyn de Leon, Gondelina Amata, Gregoria Buenaventura, Emmanuel Alexis Sevidal, Chita Jalandoni, Sofia Cruz, Ofelia Ordoñez, Eulogio Rodriguez, Maria Ninez Guañizo, Maria Julie Villaralvo-Johnson, Romulo Relevo, Salvador Salacup, Eduardo Nolasco, Roy Bongalo, Antonio Ortiz, Marivic Jover, Ma. Rosalinda Lacsamana and Consuelo Lilian Espiritu.

 

Valdez was among the second batch of lawmakers charged earlier this month by the Office of the Ombudsman before the Sandiganbayan for their alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

 

The other lawmakers were former Masbate Rep. and incumbent Masbate Governor Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, former Benguet Rep. Samuel Dangwa, former Cagayan de Oro Rep. Constantino Jaraula and former Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo Plaza.

 

Lanete, who is also facing plunder and graft charges, surrendered to the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) last week after the Fourth Division issued an arrest order against her and her 31 co-accused.

 

She is currently detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Female Dormitory in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig together with Napoles. — RSJ, GMA News