The Sandiganbayan has granted a motion to allow a co-accused in the cases against former National Tobacco Administration (NTA) chief
The anti-graft court’s Second Division granted the prosecution’s motion to discharge farmer Constante Cabitac as a defendant in the cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last year against Zaragosa and his son former Narvacan Mayor Zuriel Zaragoza.Based on Singson’s complaint, the Ombudsman indicted the Zaragozas in May 2022 for graft and malversation of public funds, allegedly defrauding farmers of P81 million from the tobacco excise tax funds.
The ruling was penned by Associate Justice Arthur Malabaguio with Associate Justices Oscar Herrera Jr. and Edgardo Caldona concurring. The prosecution said Cabitac’s testimony will connect all the documentary and testimonial evidence already presented to prove that the Zaragozas, in connivance with accused Cabinte and Cadacio, misappropriated the entire P81 million.
But the Sandiganbayan disagreed, noting that in most crimes, the facts that would sufficiently support a conviction are known only to the participants in committing the criminal offense.
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