The Sandiganbayan has ruled to proceed with the trial of former Rizal Gov. Casimiro Ynares Jr., who is facing graft charges in connection with the alleged overpriced purchase of organic fertilizers by the provincial government during his incumbency.
The anti-graft court’s Third Division, in a resolution dated Jan. 3, denied the motion for reconsideration of Ynares for lack of merit; even as the court denied the same appeal of his co-accused, former assistant department head Romulo Arcilla Jr.
Earlier, the Sandiganbayan denied the motion to suspend proceedings filed by Ynares and Arcilla.
“After an assiduous evaluation of the arguments raised by the accused-movants in their subject motion for reconsideration and the comment/opposition thereto of the prosecution the Court resolves to deny the same,” the Sandiganbayan said.
Ynares and Arcilla earlier asked the anti-graft court for the reversal of the Sandiganbayan’s decision to junk their petition to suspend the proceedings.
However, the Sandiganbayan said both defendants failed to present new arguments in their appeal.
The court also said the plea of Ynares and Arcilla was mooted by the Supreme Court denial of their petition for certiorari.
The Sandiganbayan quoted in its resolution a portion of the SC ruling, which says that the high court “found no grave abuse of discretion” against the Sandiganbayan when it denied the motion to quash Ynares and Arcilla.
Ynares and Arcilla entered into allegedly anomalous contracts for the acquisition of organic fertilizers.
