The Sandiganbayan has remanded to the Quezon City regional trial court (RTC) for further proceedings the case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) against the officials of the then Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation (Quedancor) on the grant of P3 million loan to alleged unqualified borrowers in 2006.
Branch 224 of the Quezon City RTC dismissed the case filed against several Quedancor officials and the loan borrowers on the ground of improper venue, while the case against the other accused were achieved.
Archived was the case against Regional Credit and Guarantee Committee (RCGC) Assistant Vice President – NCR/Administrative Officer IV Divino Duban, Operations Officer and member of the District Credit and Guarantee Committee (DCGC) Ray Joven, Accountant and Member of DCGC Analyn Hobayan, and spouses Marcos Reyes and Adela Gutierrez.
Dismissed by the RTC was the case filed against District Supervisor and Quedancor Operations Officer Joel Gagelonia, spouses Luisito and Femy Vinuya, Quedancor Operations Officer Carino Julius Canezal, Collection and Remedial Account Officer and Member of the DCGC Roel Suarez, Credit Assessment Group and Chairman of RCGC Rhona Marie Asuncion Resuello-Anover, and Regional Head of the Collection and Remedial Management Group and Member of RCGC Rudolph Zoleta.
In its decision that granted the petition of the OMB prosecutors, the Sandiganbayan said that since the case has been ongoing for the past 10 years, it is “crucial” for the RTC to continue hearing the case “to prioritize the broader interest of justice.”
The anti-graft court also said that since Quedancor had already been dissolved, it is also important to consider its “operational inefficiencies and overlapping responsibilities with other government entities.”
“In the mind of the court, the RTC should continue to hear the case. This approach will ensure that due process is upheld and provide both parties with the opportunity to pursue a fair resolution in a timely manner reflecting the court’s commitment to justice and the rule of law,” it added.
The dispositive portion of the decision: “The Orders dated Oct. 9, 2024 and July 30, 2024, of RTC Branch 224, Quezon City are hereby reversed and set aside. Accordingly, the case is reinstated and remanded to the RTC-Branch 224, Quezon City for further proceedings.”
The 20-page decision was written by Associate Justice Georgina D. Hidalgo with the concurrence of Chairperson Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores C. Gomez-Estoesta and Associate Justice Zaldy V. Trespeses.
