Ex-agriculturist pleads guilty to ‘anomalous’ purchase

CEBU, Philippines — A former Carcar City agriculturist has pleaded guilty before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the alleged anomalous purchase of fertilizers worth around P250,000.

The court's Seventh Division said Rogue Sarcauga entered his plea for the lesser offense of failure of accountable officer to render accounts under Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code.

Sarcauga was initially slapped with a graft charge together with former Carcar City mayor Mario Patricio Barcenas and former municipal planning and development coordinator/Bids and Awards Committee chairman Valentin Gamutan, Jr.

"The mitigating circumstance of the plea of guilty would be appreciated in favor of the accused (Sarcauga) as the change of plea was made prior to the presentation of evidence by the prosecution," read the decision.

Also, the Sandiganbayan has ordered Sarcauga to pay the city government P125,000 as part of the plea bargaining agreement with the Office of the Ombudsman.

The P125,000 is on top of the P5,000 in fine as penalty of failure of accountable officer to render accounts.

Barcenas, Sarcauga and Gamutan were charged in 2005.

They allegedly conspired with Marlyn Castillo of M.M. Castillo General Merchandise in “giving unwarranted benefits and advantage” by entering into a contract to purchase 166 liters/bottles of foliar fertilizers amounting to P239,040.

Each bottle costs P1,500.

Sarcauga earlier entered a plea of not guilty during arraignment of the anti-graft case.

He then offered to plea bargain to a lesser offense which is necessarily included in the offense charged, which the state prosecutors agreed. — KBQ (FREEMAN)