No more witnesses vs. Arroyo in PCSO plunder case

The prosecution in the plunder case against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and several others has expressed its intention to rest its case, saying it no longer has witnesses to present.

The Sandiganbayan First Division, in response, gave the state prosecutors 20 days to come up with a formal offer of evidence, a written document summarizing their case.

The defense in turn will be given the same number of days to come up with its formal offer of documentary evidence.

The case stemmed from the alleged conspiracy to illegally divert public funds amounting to P366 million sourced from Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s operating budget.

In an interview with GMA News Online, Arroyo’s counsel Modesto Ticman Jr. said they may file a demurrer to evidence, which formally asks the court to decide if the presented evidence of the prosecution is enough to hold a case.

“We might file a demurrer to evidence. Pag-aaralan namin, titingnan namin kung sa pag-aaral nung ifa-file ng prosecution, kung di enough yung ebidensya nila, we will file,” Ticman said, adding that a granted demurrer to evidence could mean Arroyo walking free.

“Pag ma-grant yun, it’s equivalent to an acquitta. Tapos ang kaso,” he said.

Ticman said he felt they should consider a demurrer to evidence since the prosecution was only able to present 12 witnesses, despite them earlier listing a total of 40.

Arroyo's co-accused in the case are 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.

Only Uriarte and Valdes remain at large.
 
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. Plunder is a non-bailable offense.
 
Meanwhile, Taruc, who surrendered in March and was arraigned in April, was allowed to post P1 million in bail.
 
Morato, meanwhile, 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 .
 
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.  —Patricia Denise Chiu/KBK, GMA News