Ifugao Rep. Baguilat pleads not guilty in graft case

Ifugao Representative Teodoro "Teddy" Baguilat Jr. on Monday entered a plea of not guilty in his graft case at the Sandiganbayan over the allegedly overpriced purchase of a second-hand vehicle in 2003.

Baguilat pleaded "not guilty" for one count each of violation of Sections 3(e) and 3(g) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act during his conditional arraignment at the Fifth Division.

The arraignment of Baguilat had to push through despite his pending dismissal motion in the case in order for the Sandiganbayan to allow his travel to Germany and the Netherlands from April 6 to 15. 

In Germany, Baguilat said he is scheduled to attend a Study Visit Program organized by the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung foundation in Berlin. The program aims to provide solutions on poverty elimination and social justice.

Baguilat said he will then travel to the Netherlands for three days to visit the Filipino community.

"The Program aims to provide platforms for knowledge-sharing for party-building and political branding between the Free Democratic Party of Germany and the Liberal Party of the Philippines and the visit to Filipino communities in the Netherlands aims to enhance relations with Filipinos overseas," he said.

The Sandiganbayan ordered Baguilat to pay a travel bond worth P120,000 and present himself to the division clerk of court within five days from his return to the Philippines.

Baguilat, then serving as Ifugao governor, and two provincial officials allegedly conspired with one another when they purchased a second-hand Isuzu Wagon Trooper worth P900,000 from a certain Jose Man Singh of JMS General Merchandise.

The Ombudsman accused Baguilat and his co-accused of approving the procurement despite the lack of a public bidding and without proper budget appropriation. The deal was already negotiated even before the purchase was made.

The lawmaker had assailed that his right to a speedy disposition of cases was violated since the alleged offense took place in 2003 but the charge was only filed on February 9, 2018. —KG, GMA News