Yap arraignment on fertilizer scam, car loan cases reset to November 5

Deputy Speaker Arthur Yap has yet to enter a plea in his cases at the Sandiganbayan on the alleged irregular use of fertilizer funds and anomalous car loan plans due to his pending bids on their dismissal.

During the proceedings on Friday, Sixth Division chairperson Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez moved the arraignment of Yap on both cases to November 5.

The Sandiganbayan had set the formal reading of charges against Yap and former Agriculture chief Luis Lorenzo Jr. on Friday afternoon but the former's legal team moved for its deferment as they will file a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court. 

Their graft charges stemmed from the alleged anomalous purchase of 92,158 bags of fertilizer worth P46 million in 2003, when Yap was the National Food Authority Administrator.

The prosecution opposed the rescheduling, saying a plea at the high court does not bar an arraignment from proceeding.

Nonetheless, Fernandez said the court will give Yap a 30-day period to file a petition at the SC, but noted his arraignment will push through on November 5 if there is no temporary restraining order from the high court by then.

"Should the court the not receive any temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court, the arraignment will proceed as scheduled," Fernandez said.

Yap, meanwhile, has a pending motion to dismiss on his graft case over the alleged irregular car loan plans given to board of trustees of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) from 2008 to 2009.

The Bohol 3rd District Representative had claimed he was absent when the PhilRice board approved the car loan plans from Philippine National Bank in favor of 10 beneficiary-employees and despite their continued receipt of transportation allowances. — Joseph Tristan Roxas/RSJ, GMA News