MANILA: The Sandiganbayan on Wednesday turned down the motion for reconsideration filed by a former executive assistant of ex-agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala, who was convicted in a PHP13.5-million graft case. In its five-page resolution dated Jan. 17, the anti-graft court's fifth division denied for lack of merit the motion for reconsideration filed by Laureano Arnulfo Mañalac. The anti-graft court last August had acquitted Alcala and convicted Mañalac in charges arising from transactions involving the Isa Akong Magsasaka Foundation Inc. (IAMFI), where Mañalac was an incorporator. "The Court denies Mañalac's motion for reconsideration. The matters raised by him are a mere rehash and repetition of the issues and arguments which have been considered and passed upon by the Court in its decision," the tribunal said. The court, in turning down Mañalac's argument that there had been no injury to the government because the funds released were fully utilized, noted that "the end product of Mañalac's actions was a warehouse which was to be turned over to his father-in-law, Bautista Ella upon completion of its construction", and that there were no efforts made to transfer ownership to a farmer's cooperative. Mañalac claims that he was no longer with the DA when it entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with IAMFI. He also claimed that he did not exert any influence on the DA's Special Screening Committee (SSC) and that there had been no adverse report from the Commission on Audit. The court, in its original decision, found that the evidence proved that Mañalac was involved in the processing of IAMFI's application and sentenced Mañalac with up to 10 years imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from holding public office as well as to return the PHP13.5 million. Source: Philippines News Agency