The Sandiganbayan has allowed Ombudsman prosecutors to join forces with two lawyers of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in the graft case against Davao del Norte 2nd Dist. ADVERTISEMENTThis was because the Ombudsman did not deputize the two lawyers to act as special prosecutors as required by the Ombudsman Act of 1989. The case arose from Alvarez’s March 13, 2017 complaint questioning his financial interest in Tagum Agricultural Development Corp. (Tadeco). The banana exporter entered into a 2003 joint venture agreement with the Bureau of Corrections when Floirendo was already a congressman. The joint inquiry, which began on May 9, 2017, was also initiated by Alvarez.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 31, 2018 11:26 UTC