Ex-Agri Sec Lorenzo seeks recall of arrest warrant for graft charges

Former Agriculture Secretary Luis Ramon “Cito” Lorenzo Jr.  asked the Sandiganbayan First Division to recall the arrest warrant it issued against him on December 5 in connection with a pending graft charge.

 

Lorenzo is facing charges of conspiring with officials of Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corp. (Quedancor) in granting a P48.6-million supply contract to Metro Livestock Inc., which only had P62,500 in paid-up capital.

 

Defense lawyer Luis Martin S. Clemente, counsel of Lorenzo, said the graft court may not have had enough time to evaluate the information and supporting evidence when it issued the arrest warrant.

 

The resolution was issued on the same day the case was raffled off to the First Division, he said.

 

“…(T)his Honorable Court had only a few hours in the afternoon of 29 November 2013 to personally evaluate the Information, the 17 October 2013 Order and 12 July 2013 Resolution of the Office of the Ombudsman, the complaint… and the annexes attached thereto, the counter-affidavits, the motions for reconsiderations,” the defense noted.

 

“This Honorable Court is thus implored to reconsider its determination of probable cause…,lest an innocent person be included in the charge,” Clemente said.

 

Investigators of the Ombudsman maintained the deal with Metro Livestock Inc. was approved without holding a public bidding.

 

They said Metro Livestock failed to deliver on its commitment to supply hogs, gilts, feeds, medicines and technical assistance for the Quedancor swine program.

 

This resulted in government losses amounting to P47.5 million.

 

Accused together with Lorenzo were former Quedancor president Nelson C. Buenaflor, and former board members Romeo C. Lanciola and Jesus M. Simon. Arrest warrants were also issued against them.

 

Two other former board members, Nellie M. Ilas and Wilfredo B. Domo-ong, were also accused, but they have already posted bail. —KG, GMA News