Politics · Philippines Bureau
Sandiganbayan acquits ex-Albay governor of bribery, illegal gambling charges
The Sandiganbayan Third Division has cleared former Albay Governor Edcel Greco Lagman of indirect bribery and violating anti-illegal gambling laws. The court found reasonable doubt after key witnesses recanted their testimonies linking him to jueteng operations.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Former Albay Governor Edcel Greco Lagman has been acquitted of indirect bribery and violation of the Anti-Illegal Gambling Law by the Sandiganbayan Third Division on Friday. The decision came after the court determined sufficient reasonable doubt existed regarding Lagman's alleged involvement in illegal numbers game operations.
The court's ruling hinged on the recantation of witness statements that had formed the basis of the charges against the former provincial official. Without credible testimony supporting the allegations, the court found insufficient evidence to sustain a conviction.
The case centered on accusations that Lagman received bribes connected to jueteng, an illegal numbers gambling game prevalent in the Philippines. The collapse of the prosecution's witness testimony proved decisive in the acquittal.
The decision represents a significant development in a case that had drawn attention to governance and graft concerns in Albay province. Lagman's legal team had contested the charges throughout the proceedings.