Ex-Agri chief’s bid to dismiss charges fails

The Sandiganbayan’s Special Third Division has maintained its denial of former Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary and now Bohol Third District Rep. Arthur Yap’s plea to nullify charge sheets wherein he was accused of graft, malversation through falsification and malversation along with former Misamis Occidental Rep. Marina Clarete and other individuals.

Last year, the Office of the Ombudsman filed charges of graft, malversation through falsification and malversation before the Sandiganbayan against Clarete and other individuals over alleged misappropriation of Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel allocation totaling P62.63 million between 2007 and 2009.