Witness in JV Ejercito’s trial says calamity fund not used in gun purchase

The city government of San Juan did not use calamity funds to purchase high powered firearms worth P2.1 million in 2008, the incumbent city treasurer testified before the Sandiganbayan Tuesday.

San Juan City Treasurer in charge of office (ICO) Leticia Alcober practically disproved the allegation that Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito and 12 other local government officials misused calamity funds to buy rifles for the local police by testifying that the money for its purchase came from the city’s general fund for that year.

Alcober was the first witness presented by the prosecution at the start of Ejercito’s trial for technical malversation at the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division Tuesday.

During the cross-examination, Ejercito’s lawyer Sigfrid Fortun asked Alcober regarding the purchase: “As far as you know— since you’re not yet the city treasurer at that time— was the calamity fund in 2008 actually used for this transaction at the end of the year?”

“No sir,” Alcober replied.

The malversation case against Ejercito stemmed from San Juan City’s procurement of high-powered rifles when he was city mayor. The purchase was made using the city’s calamity funds even though the city was not under a state of calamity.

Although Alcober was not involved in the transaction at that time because she was then assigned to another office, she confirmed upon seeing the relevant documents that the city government only disbursed P1,987,500 from its Landbank account to pay for the purchase of the guns.

State prosecutors indicated P2.1 million as the value of the firearms in the charge sheet it filed against Ejercito and 12 others in the case.

Alcober, however, clarified that only P1.9 million was paid for the guns after taxes were deducted for the purchase.

Following the hearing, Ejercito told reporters he was “very satisfied” with the developments in his case.

“The witness already established that the money came from the general fund. I’m very satisfied,” he said.

Former San Juan City vice mayor Francis Zamora, one of Ejercito’s co-accused in the case, said Alcober’s testimony reaffirms his defense that San Juan City’s calamity fund wasn’t used to purchase the rifles.

“Ilang beses tinanong ng mga abugado ang testigo at ilang beses din [niyang] inulit na galing ito sa general fund. Ito naman ay bahagi ng aming depensa noon pa na walang perang nanggaling sa calamity fund. Ang tseke na ginamit para sa pagbili ng baril ay galing sa general fund,” he said. —ALG, GMA News