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The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the 2017 resolution of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) which ordered the filing of graft and malversation cases against former Cagayan de Oro lone district Rep. Constantino Jaraula, several government officials, and private individuals, in connection in the alleged anomalies involving the purchase of P3 million worth of bottled liquid fertilizer in 2004.
“We find that the Ombudsman committed no grave abuse of discretion in finding probable cause. Its findings were based on evidence on record and on its consideration of the allegations and assertions of all the parties,” the SC said, in a resolution, as it dismissed Jaraula’s petition.
Aside from Jaraula, also ordered charged by the OMB were Jose Quitazol, Sr. as regional technical director of the Local Government Unit Support, Antonio N. Rosal as chairman of the committee on accreditation, Eduardo Lecciones, Jr. as regional executive director–all from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Field Regional Unit VII– Ma. Reina Lumantas as budget officer III, Claudio Artazo as accountant III, Martino Cajita as assistant regional director – all from the DA Regional Field Unit X; Joel S. Rudinas also of DA; Godofredo Bajas (Bajas) as city agriculturist, and Evelyn De Leon, Anabelle Luy, Maria Fe Escabarte, Jose Ardias, Gertrudes Kilapkilap, Henry Bucalin, and Luzviminda Bucalin as officers and members of Philippine Social Development Foundation, Inc. (PSDFI).
The SC resolution, which was made public last February, affirmed the OMB’s order, which was assailed by Jaraula. It was not known immediately if the other public officials and private individuals also filed their petition with the SC.
On May 7, 2004, the P3 million fund for DA’s Farm Inputs/Farm Implements Program (FIFI) was released to the lone congressional district of Cagayan de Oro City. The money was then turned over to PSDFI for the purchase of 3,750 bottles of liquid fertilizers for distribution to farmer-beneficiaries.
