Ex BAC member posts bail

A FORMER member of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) in Aloguinsan town, Cebu, was arrested on Tuesday morning for her alleged involvement in the controversial purchase of bread in 2010 but was quick to post bail to secure temporary liberty.

Evangeline Datan Manigos, 55, posted a P60,000 bail before the Regional Trial Court in Toledo City hours after her arrest in her residence in Barangay Bonbon, Aloguinsan.

Manigos is facing trial at the Sandiganbayan for alleged violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

She and six other persons were linked to the accumulated purchase of P200,000 worth of bread bought from a bakeshop owned by the family of the town mayor, using municipal government funds.

Policemen served the arrest warrant issued by Associate Justice Rafael Lagos of the Sandiganbayan’s fifth division against Manigos past 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

She did not resist arrest.

PO2 Marvin Hubahib of the Aloguinsan Police Station said Manigos immediately posted bail after her arrest.

Hubahib said an informant first reported to the Liloan Police Station that Manigos was in her residence in Aloguinsan.

“Policemen from Liloan and Aloguinsan then verified the report and arrested the accused,” he said.

Aside from Manigos, also indicted for the same offense are former Aloguinsan Mayor Augustus Caesar Moreno, his wife and also former Mayor Cynthia Moreno, and BAC members Pepito Maguilimotan, Nonela Villegas, Marilyn Flordeliza and Gertrudes Ababon.

Last January 17, Augustus Caesar was arrested inside his residence and immediately posted bail.

His wife Cynthia, who then served as mayor of the municipality, 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 public bidding.

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