BUTUAN CITY – Four ex-officials of the regional agriculture office here facing graft charges were arrested, the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13) said Friday.
“We are tasked to enforce the law in a manner that treats all individuals equally, regardless of their social status or positions,” PRO-13 chief, Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, said in a statement.
Those arrested were Edgardo Dahino, 67, former Department of Agriculture-Caraga (DA-13) assistant regional director; Jessica Da-An, 62, ex-chief administrator and finance officer; Merylinda Santos, 65, former budget officer; and Gerry Leop, 54, ex-regional accountant.
They are connected with the 2004 fertilizer fund scam allegedly masterminded by Janet Lim-Napoles, the so-called pork barrel queen.
The four former officials were allegedly responsible for the Agricultural Reinforcement Project entered into by the municipality of Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte with Napoles-linked non-governmental organization Philippine Social Development Foundation Inc.
They were separately arrested Thursday in this city by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Agusan del Norte.
All four are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices) and Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code for malversation.
A bail bond of PHP210,000 each was set by the Sandiganbayan 4th Division for their temporary liberty. (PNA)
4 former DA-Caraga officials nabbed for graft charges
By Alexander Lopez
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