By Tracy Cabrera
MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has cleared former Albay governor Edcel Greco “Grex” Lagman of indirect bribery and illegal gambling charges, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
The Third Division of the anti-graft court based its decision on the withdrawal of sworn statements by witnesses who had earlier linked Lagman to alleged jueteng operations in Albay.
According to the court, the recantation undermined the prosecution’s case, leaving insufficient evidence to overcome the constitutional presumption that an accused person is innocent until proven guilty.
Lagman had been accused of receiving around ₱8.16 million in alleged protection payments from jueteng operators during his tenure as Albay vice governor.
The accusations surfaced in 2024 when Alwin Nimo, a former barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan chairman in Barangay Anislag, Daraga, lodged administrative and criminal complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman.
Nimo claimed he served as a bagman for jueteng operators and facilitated the delivery of alleged payoffs to Lagman.
The allegations also resulted in administrative sanctions. In 2025, the Ombudsman ordered Lagman’s dismissal after finding him liable for grave misconduct over the alleged receipt of money in exchange for protecting illegal gambling operations.
Lagman rejected the accusations and denied accepting payments either from jueteng operators or from Nimo.
In explaining its decision, the Sandiganbayan noted that the witnesses had withdrawn their previous sworn accounts implicating the former governor.
With the original statements rendered inadmissible as hearsay, prosecutors could no longer use them to bolster other evidence presented against Lagman.
The court ultimately concluded that reasonable doubt persisted, making acquittal necessary under the Constitution.
ia/xf
