Sandiganbayan clears ex-DA chief Alcala of graft
Proceso Alcala
The Sandiganbayan has cleared former Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala of graft in connection with the alleged irregular accreditation of a farmers’ foundation that was found to have been incorporated by his executive assistant.
In a 40-page decision on Aug. 23, the court’s Sixth Division acquitted Alcala “purely on reasonable doubt” but found his former head executive assistant Laureano Mañalac guilty of graft.
Mañalac was ordered to pay the Department of Agriculture (DA) P13.5 million, or the amount equivalent to what was granted to the foundation that was allegedly illegally accredited by the agency.
He was also sentenced six to 10 years of imprisonment and was banned for life from holding public office.
As for Alcala, the Sandiganbayan lifted the hold departure order against him.
Article continues after this advertisementThe case involves the DA’s accreditation of Isa Akong Magsasaka Foundation Inc. (IAMFI) as the agency’s development partner for its Agri-Pinoy Trading Center Program and releasing P13.5 million to the foundation.
Article continues after this advertisementUnder the program, the DA presented a new marketing system that was co-owned, operated and controlled by small farmers and fisherfolk through their cooperative or association.
It was meant to effectively address critical and long-standing concerns of small farmers and fisherfolk such as unfavorable market prices for their produce.
State prosecutors said that Mañalac was actually an incorporator of IAMFI, which violated a rule by the Commission on Audit and was therefore considered irregular.
In clearing Alcala, the Sandiganbayan said prosecutors had failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt based on the evidence presented during the hearings of the case while it pointed to the guilt of Mañalac.
Prosecutors believed that Alcala, being the agriculture secretary who granted the accreditation of IAMFI, should also go to prison “for damage sustained by government” after tapping the foundation as the agency’s development partner and entering into a memorandum of agreement.
The court, however, sided with Alcala saying that the former top agriculture official relied on the “multiple layers of review” by his subordinates in accrediting the foundation.
But the court decided to find Mañalac guilty of graft, siding with the prosecution that the IAMFI should have been disqualified since the incorporators were related to him and worse, that he himself was an incorporator.
However, it disagreed with the prosecution that there was conspiracy between Alcala and Mañalac since the prosecution failed to establish such. INQ
