Ex-Iloilo lawmaker acquitted of ‘pork’ rap

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan has acquitted former Iloilo 5th District representative Rolex Suplico of a graft case in connection with the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel amounting P14.7 million in 2007.

“The court agrees with accused Suplico and finds the totality of evidence insufficient to hold that said accused acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith, gross inexcusable negligence,” the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division stated in its 37-page decision promulgated last Friday.

Suplico was specifically acquitted of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, a provision which prohibits public officials from giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to a private party or from causing any party, including the government, undue injury.

“For lack of sufficient evidence, no civil liability is adjudged in this case,” the Fifth Division said.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft court ordered the case against Suplico’s co-accused, Antonio Ortiz, the director general of the now defunct state firm Technology Resource Center (TRC), to be temporarily archived as he remains at-large.

The court said this is without prejudice to his case’s revival upon his arrest or surrender.

The Fifth Division earlier dismissed the case against the other accused, Alfredo Ronquillo, president of the non-government organization (NGO) AARON Foundation Philippines Inc., (AFPI) due to his death in the course of the trial.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2018, the case stemmed from the release of Suplico’s PDAF amounting P14.7 million to AFPI for supposed implementation of a livelihood program in his district.