Neric Acosta thwarts arrest, posts bail

Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) general manager Nereus "Neric" Acosta has avoided arrest by posting bail even before authorities were able to serve the warrant against him. "Kahapon when we learned of the order denying our motion for reconsideration, we immediately acted to file our bail, so walang warrant of arrest ang sinerve, ibig sabihin hindi na umabot sa ganung punto," Acosta's lawyer, Lodel Parungao, said in an interview aired over GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Thursday. The arrest warrant against Acosta and his mother Socorro came into effect on Wednesday after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division dismissed their appeal in connection with the perjury charges filed against them for his alleged unlawful transfer of Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) to a group reportedly run by his relatives. The warrant, despite having been signed in January, was not served as the accused's camp filed a motion for reconsideration. “The court cannot make final the release of a warrant if there is a pending motion for reconsideration that’s why we withheld the warrant released earlier,” Sandiganbayan Fifth Division clerk of court Teresa Pabulayan said on Wednesday. But Parungao said the warrant against Acosta is now "academic" after he posted bail on Wednesday. He said he does not know if Mrs. Acosta did the same. "Hindi [na] pwedeng i-serve [yung warrant] dahil nakapag-bail na si secretary. [But] I don't know kung nai-serve na 'yung order kay Mrs. Socorro," he said. Parungao said he last talked to Acosta on Wednesday and that he is currently attending to several commitments. Acosta was an unsuccessful senatorial candidate in the 2010 elections aligned with then presidential contender Benigno Aquino III. Aside from LLDA general manager, he is the concurrent presidential adviser for environmental protection. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News