Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito on Tuesday expressed optimism that the Sandiganbayan will acquit him of the technical malversation charge in connection with the allegedly anomalous use of P2.1 million calamity funds when he was San Juan mayor in 2008.
Speaking to Senate reporters in a media briefing before he posted P6,000 bail following the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him, Ejercito said he trusts the justice system—that the Sandiganbayan will be fair.
“I am very optimistic and very positive and very confident in my case. I know I did. not make any mistake, I did not commit any crime.”
Ejercito also stressed he will not destroy his name for a P2 million transaction or any amount for that matter.
“If it’s possible, I want the hearing of my case every week so my name will be immediately cleared,” he said.
In a resolution promulgated last Monday, the anti-graft court Sixth Division found probable cause against Ejercito and outgoing San Juan Vice Mayor Francis Zamora to try them for technical malversation.
Ejercito, Zamora and the other city councilors were charged with technical malversation for allowing the use of the calamity funds for the purchase of high-powered firearms from February to August 2008. Zamora was then a councilor.
Zamora before noon posted a P6,000 bail for technical malversation.
Ejercito is also facing graft charges in the SB Fifth Division over the alleged anomalous purchase of high-powered rifles worth P2.1 million using calamity funds when he was San Juan mayor in 2008. He had posted his P30,000 bail for the graft charge.
Ejercito was accused of conspiring with other city officials to purchase high-powered firearms in February 2008 using the city’s calamity fund as “investment for disaster preparedness.”
The city council then passed a city ordinance allowing Ejercito to buy the firearms for the city’s police department.
Ejercito approved the purchase although the city was not under a state of calamity when the purchase was made, according to the Ombudsman which recommended the filing of the case against Ejercito, Zamora and the other officials of San Juan.
The firearms bought using the city’s calamity fund include: three units of model K2 cal. 5.56mm sub-machine guns and 17 units of Daewoo model K1 cal. 5.56 mm sub-machine guns.
The Ombudsmman said the purchase of the firearms was done with haste without “competitive bidding and giving unwarranted benefit, advantage and preference to the supplier.