Sandiganbayan denies gov't bid for arrest warrant vs. ex-Rep. Valdez, Napoles

The Sandiganbayan denied for lack of merit the motion of government prosecutors asking the anti-graft court to issue an arrest warrant against former APEC party-list Representative Edgar Valdez and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles in connection with the P10 billion pork barrel scam.

In a nine-page decision, the anti-graft court sided in favor of Valdez’s argument that the Sandiganbayan’s denial of his and Napoles’ respective demurrer to evidence or bid to junk the case without the defense camp presenting evidence does not mean that the evidence presented by the prosecution is strong, that their bail should be canceled and they should be issued an arrest warrant.

Valdez also further argued that the denial of the accused's demurrer to evidence is merely a preliminary examination of the merits of the prosecution's allegations.

“Upon meticulous scrutiny of the records and a deliberate consideration of the arguments of the parties, the Court finds the instant motion bereft of merit,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“Valdez correctly pointed out that there is no basis to recall the grant of bail,” the Sandiganbayan added.

In denying Napoles and Valdez's demurrer to evidence in an August 2019 decision, the anti-graft court cited an Anti Money Laundering Council report showing that Valdez's bank accounts received the P57 million thru the three nongovernment organizations owned by Napoles namely: Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation, Inc., Philippine Social Development Foundation Incorporated and Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation, Inc.

The Sandiganbayan upheld its August 2019 decision in November 2019 due to lack of merit of the accused’s appeal.

Pork barrel is the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), an allocation that used to be the discretionary fund of lawmakers for projects for their respective constituents.

After the pork barrel scam was exposed, PDAF was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in November 2013. —KG, GMA News