Sandiganbayan acquits co-accused of ex-Benguet mayor in fertilizer scam case

The Sandiganbayan has acquitted one of the co-accused of former Bakun, Benguet mayor Bartolome Coga following the approval of her plea bargain deal in their fertilizer fund scam case.

A May 7 decision from the Seventh Division ordered former municipal accountant Virginia Hidalgo Kigisan to pay a fine of P5,000 after she pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of "prohibited transactions" defined and penalized under the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials.

Sacla and Kigisan were initially accused of committing graft for allegedly conspiring in the purchase of 1,300 bottles of liquid fertilizer worth P1.95 million from Bry Cin Enterprises in 2004.

The prosecution had said the fertilizers were overpriced considering the accused failed to conduct a public bidding for the transaction.

During the pre-trial proceedings, Kigisan's camp informed the Sandiganbayan that she was willing to plead guilty as long as she was allowed to plead to a lesser offense.

The Sandiganbayan said the prosecution made no objection to the plea bargain when it was heard in April. It noted that the prosecutors had the consent of Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

"After evaluating the facts of the case and the manifestations by the parties to the case, the court hereby allows the parties to enter into plea bargaining wherein accused Kigisan, with the consent of the Ombudsman, is allowed to plead guilty to a lesser offense," the Sandiganbayan said.

Kigisan, however, is not yet fully off the hook as the Sandiganbayan included her among those "jointly and severally liable" to return the P1.95 million to the Bakun local government. — BM, GMA News