Ex-ERC chair Zenaida Ducut pleads ‘not guilty’ to graft, malversation raps

Former Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairperson Zenaida Ducut on Tuesday entered a “not guilty” plea for her graft and malversation cases in connection with her alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam.

Appearing before the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division, Ducut maintained that she is “not guilty” of the graft and malversation public funds cases information of which were read before her by the clerk of court during her arraignment.

Aside from Ducut, three other respondents -- Technology Resource Center (TRC) former director general Dennis Cunanan, TRC former group manager Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana and private individual Evelyn De Leon -- also entered not guilty pleas.

The four respondents, together with their lawyers, immediately left the Sandiganbayan building after their arraignment, refusing to grant an interview with the media.

The court set a preliminary conference for the cases on July 8, wherein the prosecution and the defense are expected to mark the documentary evidence and to identify the witnesses they intend to present during the trial proper.

The prosecution and the defense are expected to submit the final list of evidence and witnesses during the pre-trial of the cases set on September 5.

Biazon arraignment

Meanwhile, former Muntinlupa City representative Rozzano Rufino "Ruffy" Biazon and 10 co-accused, including the alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, have yet to be arraigned pending the court’s resolution of their respective motions for judicial determination of probable cause with prayer to dismiss the cases.

Aside from graft and malversation, Biazon is also facing a separate case of direct bribery with the Seventh Division still in connection with the pork scam.

Based on the information of the cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman with the Sandiganbayan last month, Biazon released P2.7-million worth of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel in 2007 to Philippine Social Development Foundation, Inc. (PSDFI), a foundation allegedly owned by Napoles, in exchange of P1.950 million worth of “rebates” or kickbacks.

The Ombudsman said Biazon “unilaterally” chose and endorsed PSDFI to implement his supposed PDAF-funded livelihood project without holding a public bidding required under Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Law.

It further alleged that the PSDFI was unqualified and unaccredited to carry out the project, which was later discovered to be “non-existent and were never implemented”.

The Ombudsman said Ducut, as the personal agent of Biazon, was the one who received kickbacks from Napoles on the former lawmaker’s behalf. —ALG, GMA News