The Sandiganbayan First Division has put the warrant of arrest issued against North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza, who is facing charges for purchasing P2.3 million of fuel from her mother’s gas stations, on hold.
The First Division granted the appeal of her counsel, Thea Daep, to hold the issuance of the warrant due to the motion for judicial determination of probable cause that was filed by Mendoza.
Daep explained to the court that Mendoza never received a copy of the arrest warrant that is why she submitted the motion which sought the dismissal of the three counts of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) charged against her.
The anti-graft court decided to resolve the motion before it would issue the warrant. It also gave the prosecution 10 days to comment on the motion filed by Mendoza.
Mendoza was accused of approving the release of P2.3 million from the provincial funds to pay the Talino Shell gas station which was found registered under the name of her mother, Noemi, in 2012.
