Former Batangas Governor Tony Leviste posts bail for malversation

Former Batangas governor Jose Antonio "Tony" Leviste on Friday posted P40,000 bail bond in exchange for his provisional liberty for a malversation case.

Arriving with his lawyer at the Sandiganbayan building in Quezon City, Leviste immediately proceeded to the anti-graft court’s Fifth Division to undergo a booking procedure.

A receipt from the Sandiganbayan Cashier’s Office showed that Leviste posted the bail bond in cash.

Leviste immediately left the Sandiganbayan building after posting his bail, refusing to grant an interview with the media.

Leviste posted bail even before the court issued any ruling on whether or not there was a probable cause to order his arrest and hold him on trial.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday, the case stemmed from Leviste’s alleged failure to liquidate cash advances amounting to P151,385 for his supposed foreign travels during his term as the chairman of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) in 2003.

The Ombudsman said Leviste failed to liquidate the cash advances allegedly incurred from May to December 2003 despite repeated demands by the PRA and the Commission on Audit (COA).

Named as Leviste’s co-accused in the case is the former Financial Planning and Control Division chief of PRA Philip John Moreno. Leviste was convicted of homicide in 2009 for killing his long-time aide Rafael de las Alas.

Leviste admitted to the crime, saying he shot De las Alas in self-defense. The Makati Regional Trial Court sentenced him to six to twelve years of imprisonment.

In December 2013, Leviste was granted parole after serving his sentence for six years. — VVP, GMA News