Floirendo pleads not guilty in BuCor-Tadeco case

Davao del Norte Representative Antonio Floirendo Jr. on Friday pleaded not guilty at the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division in his graft case over the alleged anomalous lease of land at the Davao Penal Colony.

After the formal reading of charges, Floirendo said he is "not guilty" for one count of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The pre-trial was likewise terminated during the proceedings, which prompted division chairperson Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez to schedule the first day of Floirendo's trial on August 15.

The case against Floirendo stemmed from the Consolidated Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) between Tagum Agricultural Development Authority (TADECO), where Floirendo's family is a major stockholder, and its subsidiary Anflo Management and Investment Corporation (ANFLOCOR), for the lease of land in the Davao Penal Colony to be used as a banana plantation.

The Consolidated JVA was executed in 1979 which extended the period of lease for 25 years and renewed in May 2003 for another 25 years.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the complainant in the case, claimed Floirendo was already a representative of the Second District of Davao del Norte at the time the contract was renewed. Floirendo also allegedly served as a stockholder of TADECO in 2003 despite being in public office.

Alvarez, in his complaint, cited data from the Securities and Exchange Commission which stated that Floirendo was also a board member of ANFLOCOR from 1997 to 2015.

Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan approved Floirendo's urgent motion for leave to travel abroad to South Korea to attend the South Korea Business Forum and Witnessing of the Exchange of Business Agreements.

Floirendo said the event will be held on the sidelines of President Rodrigo Duterte's visit to South Korea. He also said his attendance was upon the invitation of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez.

The business event is scheduled from June 4 to 6, but Floirendo sought court approval from June 1 to 7 to include the pre- and post-departure activities of Duterte.

The Sandiganbayan required Floirendo to secure a travel authority from Alvarez first before it issues a resolution allowing him to join the contingent in South Korea. —KBK, GMA News