walks on graft charge I-eachon admitted that the 1O-year Guinobatan Batangay chairman that his propety be used for their BY PETER IABIT{GO pendency of the case fiom investi- Ernesto Viias of giving unwar- disposal. gation to the acn:al tdal had been ranted advanage or Prefetence to "Based on the foregoing, the THE Sandiganbayan yesterdaY Court finds that the ptosecution acguined Odental Mindoro ReP. difficult for him arrd his familY. private defendaot Juan Viias bY "I am thankirl that finallY, I allowing the use of Iive city dumP failed to prove evident bad faith Paulino Sahadot C. Leachon and of a graft have beeo vindicated. I have been trucks to hau.l 6llhg matetials to or manifest partiality in the ac- his ts-o co-accused charge filed in 2011 over alleged suffering for the last 10 years. Oc dqlatte€'sproperty. tionsof anv of r}le accused," the misuse of governmeflt ProPertY. cupational hazard, so they saY. Ma- Ptosecutots said the tucks as Sandiganbayan said. In a 1 4-page decision Penned by halaga ito ka-rsa aoo pa man Para well as their ddvec who were all Othet than Leachon, also ac- sa pamilp ko aad for my Peace of in the city paJ'roll peformed the quined were Acedera aod Private Associate Justice Bayani H. Jacintq mind" he said. hauling and delivery of filling ma defendant Juan Vidas. The fourth the anti-graft coutt's Fowth Divi- sioo said the evidence presented by The liwmaket said he was grate- terials for ftee. defendant, Ernesto Vidas died gorernmeot Prosecutors failed to ful that the court ruled in his favor During trial, howevet, the de- during the pendency of the case. after weighing the evidence offeted fense clarified that the flling ma- Leaihon lamented that it took a deliver the tequired proof beyond reasonable doubt. by both sides. terials were the result of drcdgtng Frll decade to prove his innocence. "The use of governmeqt ProP- "I am grate6rl to the coutt t-hat works conducted by the DePart- "Mabigat '1ung ganito . . . for the erty was pursuant to the regular it 6nds innoceqce in us. This is ment of Public Works and High- last 10 years ... alam ko naman exercise of governmental fuoc actually a political harassment filed ways and the city govetnment as simple case lang... wala naman tions in furtherance of a legttimate agahst me more rhan 10 years ago part of food-control Progtam. a akons kaalam-alam aod it was public putpose. The evidence during the height of the campaign It oresented testimonv that it t^ken'ado^ntage of by Political on record does not suPPort the during my second tetm as city *as ihe local government\ obli- opponents at the time. MedYo of gation to dispose of t}te sand and mahaba rin. Salamat sa koite at Ending of manifest partiality in mayor Calapao," he exPlained. The information filed by the other materials accumulated by the salamat sa Panginoon, of course to accused public of6cers' actions," Ombudsman in 2011 accused dren dredging works and that Private my lawyers. to my familY who have the court declared. to questions from Calapan City mayor kachon, city defendant Juan Viftas even helPed been so suppottive all through- Reacting reporters outside the courtoom, enginqet Benjamin Acedeta, and the city government by agreeing out," he said.