The Supreme Court has affirmed the 90-day preventive suspension of Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” G. Ejercito on a graft case involving the purchase of firearms in 2008 when he was mayor of San Juan City.
In a resolution dated September 14, 2016 but received by the Sandiganbayan yesterday, the SC said the anti-graft court’s fifth division did not commit any abuse of discretion in suspending Ejercito pending litigation of his graft case.
“After a judicious review of the records, the Court resolves to dismiss the instant petition and affirm the August 22, 2016 resolution of the Sandiganbayan’s fifth division…for failure of petitioners Joseph Victor G. Ejercito, Ranulfo BA Dacalos, and Romualdo delos Santos to show that the Sandiganbayan committed grave abuse of discretion…in suspending them pendente lite for a period of ninety (90) days,” the SC resolution stated.
The SC said that the Sandiganbayan correctly ruled that under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019), suspension is mandatorily imposed on any incumbent public official charged validly for violation of the anti-graft law. (Rey G. Panaligan)