Former Mexico, Pampanga Mayor Teddy Tumang and seven others have been acquitted by the Sandiganbayan of multiple graft and malversation charges due to lack of evidence.
In a 32-page ruling, the court’s Second Division granted the motion to dismiss filed by Tumang along with co-accused former Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) chairman Marlon Maniacup, vice chairman Jesus Punzalan, municipal accountant Perlita Lagman, BAC members Lucila Agento, Luz Bondoc, and Romeo Razon, as well as private contractor William Colis, owner of Buyu Trading and Construction.
The dismissed cases included 64 counts of graft under Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019) and seven counts of malversation under Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code.
The charges, filed in 2023, arose from the municipality’s procurement of construction materials for road repair projects between 2009 and 2010. The Ombudsman had alleged irregularities, including the absence of public bidding, the use of alternative procurement methods without valid justification, premature payments to suppliers, and questions over the eligibility of Buyu Trading.
However, the Sandiganbayan ruled that while some procurement rules may have been breached, there was no evidence of bad faith, gross negligence, or personal gain on the part of the accused officials.
