Ex-COA chief pleads not guilty to P366-M plunder case

Former Commission on Audit head Reynaldo Villar on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the P366-million plunder case filed against him and several others before the Sandiganbayan over the alleged misuse of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office's intelligence funds.

 

Villar, who served as COA chief from 2008 to 2010, entered his plea before the anti-graft court's First Division. 

Last week, Villar was arrested in his home in Merville Park, Parañaque City, according to a police accomplishment report submitted to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). Prior to his arrest, Villar had been in hiding since July 2012.

 

The following day, Villar filed a petition for bail. Plunder is a non-bailable offense.

But in his bail petition, Villar argued that his advanced age should be grounds for temporary liberty. The petition also cited his over-three-decades’ service in government “deserves the modicum of respect and compassion.” Villar is 72 years old.

Villar’s camp also said they were confident the petition will be granted since “evidence of guilt against the accused is not strong.”

The Sandiganbayan First Division set Villar’s bail hearing on May 7.

 

Villar, former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and several other defendants are accused of conspiracy in the irregular transfers of confidential intelligence funds of the PCSO amounting to P366 million between January 2008 and June 2010.

 

The other accused in the case include former PCSO general manager Rosario Uriarte; former PCSO board directors Jose Taruc V and Ma. Fatima A. S. Valdes; and Sergio Valencia, Manuel Morato and  Raymundo  Roquero, all former PCSO officials.

 

At present, only Uriarte and Valdes remain at large.

 

Mrs. Arroyo remains under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, following the anti-graft court's rejection of all her bail petitions by virtue of the strong evidence against her.

 

Meanwhile, Taruc, who surrendered in March and was arraigned in April, was allowed to post a P1-million bail.

 

Morato was arraigned in December 2012, weeks after he underwent a triple heart bypass at the St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City.

 

Valencia and Aguas both surrendered in October 2012, while Roquero surrendered on January 18, 2013.

 

In June 2013, the court allowed Valencia, Morato and Roquero to post bail but not Aguas.

 

Former COA-Intelligence Fund Unit head Nilda Plaras, also a co-accused, secured an injunction order from the Supreme Court on the basis of her legal challenge on the validity of the indictment from the Office of the Ombudsman. — RSJ/JL/LBG, GMA News