Witness list in Duque graft case includes Gordon, Hontiveros
MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has listed Sen. Risa Hontiveros and former senator Richard Gordon as among its witnesses in the graft case it filed before the Sandiganbayan against former health secretary Francisco Duque III and former Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM) executive director Lloyd Christopher Lao.
Based on the charge sheet, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR, Hontiveros and Gordon are among six people eyed by the ombudsman as witnesses in the case.
The other possible witnesses are Senate Blue Ribbon Oversight Office Management director general Rodolfo Noel Quimbo, state auditor Raymond Vallejo of the Commission on Audit (COA) Fraud Audit Office-Special Services Sector, PS-DBM Administrative Finance Group officer-in-charge director Arnold James Dupla and Department of Health (DOH) Accounting Division officer-in-charge head accountant Filipina Velasquez.
The ombudsman also included the words “and others” so it could present other individuals as witnesses, if necessary.
On Tuesday, the ombudsman charged Duque and Lao before the Sandiganbayan with one count each of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits public officials from giving unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to a private party or from causing any party, including the government, undue injury.
The case was raffled off yesterday to the Sandiganbayan First Division, chaired by Associate Justice Maria Theresa Mendoza-Arcega with Associate Justices Bayani Jacinto and Juliet Manalo-San Gaspar as members.
The ombudsman has recommended a P90,000 bail bond for each of the accused.
As of yesterday afternoon, Duque and Lao had not posted bail. A court staff of the First Division, who wished anonymity, said no arrest warrant had been issued as of closing of the Sandiganbayan office.
The staff, however, clarified that Duque and Lao may post their bond without waiting for any arrest warrant from the court.
The case stemmed from alleged irregularities in the DOH’s transfer of P41.46 billion to PS-DBM at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The fund transfer was
