Sandiganbayan junked Rama bid to dismiss P44M waste disposal graft case

The bid of former Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and his co-accused to dismiss their graft case was denied by the Sandiganbayan in connection with P44 million worth of waste disposal contracts.

The Sandiganbayan Seventh Division, in a resolution dated 27 January, rejected the motions to quash the information and defer arraignment filed by Rama and his co-accused, members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) Lyndon Bernardo Basan, Janeses Ponce, and Dominic Diño.

Rama and the three BAC members were alleged to have given “undue advantage” to three firms—Jomara Konstruckt Corporation, ACM Hauling Services, and ARN Central Waste Management Inc.—for solid waste collection and disposal services in 2021.

In their motions, the respondents argued that the criminal charge sheets did not constitute an offense and that the prosecution’s allegations were “vague” as to the exact procurement law violations.

The court, chaired by Associate Justice Lorifel Pahimna, ordered the prosecution to amend the charge sheets to state “the ultimate facts” that constitute the elements of the crime charged.

The anti-graft court added that the prosecution should avoid a “shotgun approach” in drafting the information filed before the court.

It noted, however, that it could not automatically quash the information, citing Section 4, Rule 117 of the Rules of Court, which allows “defects” that can be cured by amendment to be corrected.

Rama was previously dismissed from service and perpetually disqualified from public office by the Ombudsman in 2024 for separate administrative cases involving nepotism and grave misconduct for allegedly appointing two brothers-in-law to government positions.

He is also under investigation for his alleged failure to pay the salaries of at least four employees for seven months.