Taguig mayor acquitted of graft charge

The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division acquitted former Taguig mayor Ricardo Papa Jr. of a graft charge filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2001. Papa allegedly ordered the demolition of a flea market in Pinagsama Village, Taguig in 1997, without a court clearance. The graft court on February 20 ruled that Papa’s action was within the authority granted his office under the Local Government Code. “The absence of a court order for the demolition in question did not constitute evident bad faith. Contrary to the claim of private complainant, the demolition without court order is sanctioned by law," the court declared. The Pinagsama Vendors Association, Inc. filed the complaint accusing Papa and then municipal engineer Renato Maniquis of authorizing the alleged illegal demolition. The vendors claimed the destruction of their stalls resulted in the loss of their merchandise and other properties worth P291,000. GMANEWS.TV