By Froilan Gallardo, Special Correspondent .
“I AM innocent. They (prosecutors) have no evidence against me.”
With this, former Cagayan de Oro mayor and congressman Constantino Jaraula defended himself after the Sandiganbayan convicted him and Janet Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam.
Jaraula said, “I will be filing a motion for reconsideration within five days for the Sandiganbayan to correct itself because I am not gulty.”
In a 103-page decision penned by Associate Justice Edgardo Caldona, the Sandiganbayan said Napoles and Jaraula were guilty of pocketing at least P20.8 million in kickbacks from the former lawmaker’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
The decision by the Sandiganbayan First Division released earlier today convicted Jaraula and Napoles for three counts of graft and three counts of malversation.
The sentence for one count of each crime ranges from six years to 18 years imprisonment.
The two can, however, appeal the decision.
Reached for comment, Jaraula said he had nothing to do with the release of Special Allotment Release Order (Saro) to the Technological Resource Center, a government agency and Countrywide Agri and Rural Economic Development Foundation Inc, allegedly operated by Napoles.
“I only dealt with the speaker of the House and the appropriations committee. I did not even know Napoles and Benhur Uy,” Jaraula said.
He said he was on the last months as member of the 13th Congress when House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., informed that P30 million was available for countryside development.
Jaraula said he had planned to use it the buy solar dryers, water pumps and farm fertilizers for Cagayan de Oro.
“I did not know that the TRC assigned the Saro to Cared of Napoles,” he said.
Jaraula vehemently denied the allegations from whistleblower Benhur Luy that he hs known the former mayor since 2002 and had “interacted” with him regarding his PDAF transactions.
Luy alleged that money was exchanged with Jaraula on the ground floor of the building owned by Napoles in Manila.
Jaraula completely denied this.
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