Caesar Moreno arrested for graft, posted P30K bail

Former Aloguinsan Mayor Augustus Caesar Moreno was arrested on Wednesday afternoon for graft, but he was quick to post bail to avoid his detention.

Moreno posted bail of P30,000 before the Regional Trial Court in Toledo City at around 3 p.m., or two hours since his arrest in his residence in Barangay Poblacion.

His wife and former Mayor Cynthia Moreno remains in hiding.

The Moreno couple is facing graft charges for the accumulated purchase of P200,000 worth of bread from a family-owned bakeshop using municipal government funds.

Associate Justice Rafael Lagos of the Sandiganbayan’s fifth division issued the warrant for their arrest for the alleged violation of Republic Act 3019 otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

“He (Cesar Moreno) will prove his innocence in the course of the trial as we firmly believe that there is no basis for the filing of the graft cases against him,” said the couple’s counsel, lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna.

But Dela Cerna said he does not have personal knowledge when asked of Cynthia’s whereabouts.

“The warrant of arrest against Mayor Cynthia Moreno was not served as she was not at her residence during the service thereof. I believe that once she will receive such information she has to respect the order of the court,” said Dela Cerna.

When Cynthia was the Aloguinsan mayor, she allegedly awarded their family-owned AVG Bakeshop, a contract for the procurement of food supplies from April 26 to July 30, 2010. Caesar continued Cynthia’s practice when he took over as town mayor on the same year.

The Ombudsman said that the purchase made by the Moreno couple did not undergo a public bidding.

Also indicted for the same offense were Pepito Maguilimotan, Nonela Villegas, Marilyn Flordeliza, Gertrudes Ababon and Evangeline Manigos who are all members of the town’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).