MANILA — Bohol (3rd District) Rep. Arthur Yap on Thursday filed before the Sandiganbayan a motion seeking to junk the graft case filed against him over the alleged irregular car loan plans given to the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PRRI).
In his motion to quash, Yap asked the anti-graft court to dismiss the case information, which is accusing him of the graft charges.
The former Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary argued he was absent during the board meeting of the PRRI, when the car plan and loan guidelines were deliberated upon.
Yap was then the sitting PRRI Board of Trustees Chairman.
Yap, who is now the Bohol lawmaker, further argued that his absence during the said board meeting is sufficient evidence to warrant the dismissal of the graft case filed against him by the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman had earlier dismissed a similar case against Remedios De Leon, who was then also a member of the PRRI Board of Trustees, due to her absence during the board meeting.
The graft case against Yap stemmed from his alleged collusion with 10 employees of PRRI, who were beneficiaries of the car plan despite their receipt of transportation allowance.
The anti-graft body did not dismiss the case against Yap, such that his name was not included in the list of those absent during the board meeting.
However, the former DA Secretary said there is no evidence to prove that he entered into a contract under the PRRI. (Perfecto Raymundo, Jr./PNA)
