The Sandiganbayan 5th Division has affirmed the graft cases against former Customs chief Nicanor Faeldon over the alleged smuggling of some P34 million worth of Vietnam rice into the country in 2017.
The anti-graft court denied Faeldon’s motion to recall or set aside the hold departure order and arrest warrant against him.
The Office of the Ombudsman field the cases against Faeldon as well as District Collector Tomas Alcid in October last year.
Two sets of rice shipment were reportedly allowed to be released from the Port of Cagayan De Oro in 2017 without the required import permit.
Faeldon was accused of conspiring with the importer, Cebu Lite Trading, Inc., whose officials — Lucio Roger Lim Jr., Ambrosio Ursal and Rowena Lim – were also included in the graft cases.
“In sum, the separate omnibus motions and supplement are denied for lack of merit, except accused Lim’s prayer for the deferment of arraignment and pre-trial, which the court had already reset to a later date,” the Sandiganbayan said.