BY REY G. PANALIGAN
The Sandiganbayan has acquitted former Cagayan Gov. Edgar Ramones Lara of two graft charges in connection with the construction of the P213.7 million Cagayan Town Center (CTC).
The CTC was primarily funded out of the proceeds of the province’s bonds floatation in 2001.
In a decision promulgated on Feb. 19, 2021, the Sandiganbayan ruled that the prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman “failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt” that Lara violated Section 3 (e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The anti-graft court also ruled that “no civil liability may be adjudged against the accused (Lara) as the act or omission from which the civil liability might arise did not exist.”
It also ordered the release of the bail bonds Lara posted for his provisional liberty and the lifting and setting aside of the hold departure order (HDO) issued against him. (Rey Panaligan)
