Ejercito will take ‘forced vacation’ after SC sides with Sandiganbayan

Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito said on Friday he would serve the 90-day suspension order by the Sandiganbayan pending his graft trial after the Supreme Court sided with the antigraft court’s directive.

“I will serve my suspension not because I am guilty of any wrongdoing but because I want to show respect and obedience to the courts,” he said in a statement.

Forced vacation

Ejercito said he wanted to spare the Senate from controversy, “so I will go on  ‘forced vacation.’”

The SC First Division had affirmed the Aug. 22 suspension order by the antigraft court in a Sept. 14 resolution. The resolution was received by the antigraft court’s Fifth Division only on Friday.

The senator was accused of procurement anomalies and misusing P2.1 million in calamity funds to buy high-powered firearms when he was San Juan City mayor in 2008.

“If I will be punished because I wanted to protect and save the lives of my constituents, then so be it,” he said.

He has sought the dismissal of the graft case citing alleged weak evidence.

Ejercito had earlier requested permission from the antigraft court to join President Duterte on his state visit to Malaysia and Thailand on Nov. 9-10.

He promised the court he won’t flee and immediately return to the country.

Ejercito told the Inquirer he was invited by the Office of the President to join the official delegation despite his suspension.

“I am only suspended from attending plenary sessions. Might as well make my  ‘free time’ productive,” he said. —WITH A REPORT FROM TARRA QUISMUNDO