Sandiganbayan suspends Siquijor provincial officials

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Fourth Division has ordered the 90-day preventive suspension of Orville Fua, Siquijor provincial board member, for graft over the allegedly irregular purchase of fertilizers in 2005.

The antigraft court also suspended two other provincial officials — municipal treasurer Rose Marie Tomogsoc and municipal accountant Ana Marie Leilani Monte—for the same case.

All three are coaccused in the graft case of North Cotabato Gov. Nancy Catamco of Perezbros Co. Catamco, who was a private citizen when the alleged offense took place, was also the former second district representative of North Cotabato.

The accused allegedly defrauded the government of some P2.68 million when they conspired with representatives of Perezbros to purchase 1,866 liters of Vitacrop liquid organic fertilizers at P1,500 per bottle, in violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act. —Patricia Denise M. Chiu