By the Bohol Chronicle
The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division acquitted former Carmen town officials who have been charged for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
In a 28-page ruling promulgated last Thursday, the anti-graft court cleared former mayor Pedro Budiongan, former vice mayor (now board member) Josil Trabajo, municipal treasurer Fulgencio Pana, budget
officer Taciana Espejo, and Sangguniang Bayan members Rufino Adlaon, Tito Montajes, Mario Soria, Alfonso Unajan, Carlito Torrefranca and Vicente Torrefranca Jr.
The acquittal came after more than eight years that the complaint was filed at the Ombudsman by former Carmen councilors Arlene Palgan and Valeriano Nadala Sr., the private complainants.
Private complainant Palgan called the Chronicle yesterday saying the state prosecutors will file for certiorari highlighting several mistakes of fact in the Sandiganbayan ruling.
"Justice will not end here. The acquittal of the accused public officers is not our and not my personal defeat, it is the defeat of public interest and the defeat of our advocacy against graft and corruption," Palgan said.
The accused municipal officials were charged for violating Section 3, paragraph (e) of Republic Act 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
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