By Czarina Nicole Ong-Ki Carcar Municipal Agriculturist Roque Rellon Sarcauga of Cebu has pleaded guilty to the charge of failure to render account instead of graft before the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division. Sandiganbayan (MANILA BULLETIN) Sarcauga is one of the co-accused in the graft charge filed against Carcar Vice Mayor Mario Patricio Paraz Barcenas in relation to the fertilizer fund scam back in 2011. They were accused of violating Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act due to their reported involvement in the questionable purchase of 166 liters/bottles of foliar fertilizers through direct contracting from M.M. Castillo General Merchandise. Sarcauga was already arraigned on July 17, 2018, wherein he entered a not guilty plea. But on July 2, 2019, he offered a plea bargain to the lesser offense of violation of Section 218 of the Revised Penal Code, or Failure of Accountable Officer to Render Accounts. He was also willing to restitute the amount of P125,000 to the government. In a decision promulgated on July 12, the anti-graft court approved the plea bargaining agreement. "The mitigating circumstance of the plea of guilty would be appreciated in favor of the accused as the change of plea was made prior to the presentation of evidence by the prosecution," the decision read. He was imposed the penalty of P5,000. Since he manifested that he is willing to pay back P125,000, the court ruled that Sarcauga's civil liability be made "without prejudice to the eventual resolution of the case in the civil liability, if any, that may be effected against the other accused with whom he can share his civil liability in a joint and solidary manner." The nine-page resolution was penned by Chairperson Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta with the concurrence of Associate Justices Zaldy Trespeses and Georgina Hidalgo.