By Nitz Arancon
Correspondent .
SANDIGANBAYAN’S First Division has dismissed the third of the 24 graft and corruption cases against Mayor Oscar Moreno and others. A decision that has boosted the morale of Moreno’s legal team since the anti-graft court cited the same reason it gave in the first two cases it has dismissed.
Yesterday, Moreno’s legal counsel Dale Bryan Mordeno presented to reporters the anti-graft court’s 14-page decision promulgated on Sept. 25 citing “inordinate delay” as the reason for the dismissal of the case.
Associate Justices Geraldine Faith Acong, Efren dela Cruz, and Edgardo Caldona signed the decision and also ordered the release of Moreno and other’s bail bonds.
“Naa man mi gi-file ana nga motion to dismiss on the ground gihapon nga inordinate delay,” said Mordeno.
He said this is the reason why the case was not arraigned at the Sandiganbayan First Division which was supposed to be scheduled yesterday morning at the Hall of Justice, here.
“The relevant Hold Departure Order dated July 24, 2018, issued against them are set aside and declared functus officio,” the ruling reads in part.
The 24 graft cases stem from the graft and corruption complaint against Moreno, City Engineer Rolando Pacuribot, Patrick Gabutina, Elmer Wabe, and Divina Bade before the Office of the Ombudsman.
In another development, the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division has deferred the arraignment of the other cases against Moreno and others.
Mordeno said the arraignment of the other graft cases, which was also slated yesterday, was deferred because the Sandiganbayan has granted their motion to consolidate the 24 cases against the city mayor.
He said the Office of the Ombudsman filed the 24 graft cases against Moreno and others before the Sandiganbayan’s First up to its Seventh Division.
“Ang actual transfer sa mga record from other division to Second division sa Sandiganbayan wala pa nahuman ug wala pa mausa tanan ang record bisan granted na ang among motion for consolidation. Mao na nga gi-defer lang una ang arraignment,” Mordeno explained.
He added that they have yet to know the schedule of the next arraignment because the Sandiganbayan has not given them notice when it could finish consolidating the information of all 24 cases against Moreno and others.
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