The Sandiganbayan has ordered the suspension from office of four local officials who are separately facing graft charges filed by the Office of the Ombudsman.
Meted out 90-day preventive suspensions were Mayor Monico Puentevella of Bacolod City, Mayor Pepito Reyes of Perez, Quezon, and Vice Mayor Dante Garcia of Tubao, La Union.
Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Aurora Enerio-Cerilles was given a 60-day suspension in connection with the procurement of allegedly overpriced medical supplies worth almost P7 million in 2001.
“In four separate resolutions, the antigraft court ordered (the four incumbent officials) to cease and desist from performing their government functions,” the Ombudsman said in a statement.
The Ombudsman cited Section 13 of Republic Act No. 3019, the Antigraft and Corrupt Practices Act, which “unequivocally mandates the suspension of a public official from office pending criminal prosecution.”
Quoting the Sandiganbayan, it said the “suspension of a public officer charged with an offense… is but fortification of the principle that public office is a public trust.”
“They must at all times be accountable to the people in the fulfillment of their duties,” the Ombudsman said.
Puentevella was charged in connection with alleged irregularities in the purchase of P26-million worth of computers funded with his pork barrel when he was a congressman.
Reyes was charged for allegedly letting his brother run a cockpit in their town, while Garcia was indicted over the alleged anomalous purchase of overpriced fogging chemicals and chlorine without a public bidding.
Meanwhile, Cerilles has petitioned the antigraft court’s Second Division to recall its suspension order since government prosecutors were about to wind up their presentation of evidence against her.
“(The) movant believes there is good reason for the reconsideration of the assailed resolution, especially since the prosecution, as pointed out earlier, is about to terminate its presentation of evidence,” Cerilles’ motion read.