Initial evidence supports conviction vs. Acharon, Sandiganbayan says

The Sandiganbayan has said the initial evidence of the prosecution is enough to convict South Cotabato 1st District Representative Pedro Acharon Jr. for graft over his alleged failure to liquidate P2.5 million worth of public funds.

Based on the minutes of the Seventh Division's proceedings on November 6, Acharon lost his bid for a leave of court that could allow him to contest the sufficiency of evidence against him.

The Sandiganbayan said the motion of Acharon lacks merit and urged the lawmaker to present further evidence for his defense.

"The Court is of the mind that, for now, the pieces of evidence presented by the prosecution are strong enough to support conviction. Hence, there is a need for the accused to present their respective evidence because it is only in doing so that there can be a full appreciation and evaluation of the case," the Sandiganbayan said.

Acharon allegedly failed to account for the P2.5 million he released for the participation of 37 delegates at the Pagana Dinner Show and Tambayayong Festival in Los Angeles, California in 2006 when he was still mayor of General Santos City.

The lawmaker, in his motion, said there was not enough proof of manifest partiality nor the illegality of the checks he issued for the participants.

Acharon said the checks had the approval of the city council, and noted the partial liquidation of the funds in the amount of P600,000.

However, the Sandiganbayan said Acharon should raise these issues during the trial period where he can rebut the accusations of the prosecution.

"The arguments raised by accused Acharon are issues which are evidentiary in nature which accused need to refute in a full blown trial," the Sandiganbayan said. —KG, GMA News