The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has ordered the 90-day suspension of Uswag Ilonggo party-list Rep. Jojo Ang, who faces 14 counts of graft in court.
The resolution was promulgated by the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division on Sept. 21 but was only furnished to the media on Tuesday.
‘The Court hereby orders the SUSPENSION pendente lite of accused James Ang Dit Ang Jr. as member of the House of Representatives, and from any other public position he may now or hereafter hold for a period of 90 days from receipt of this Resolution,’ the four-page resolution stated.
The court resolved this matter after Ang submitted his explanation on Sept. 1 as to why he should not be suspended.
In his manifestation of compliance, Ang noted that preventive suspension is not automatic since the anti-graft court required him to comment on the prosecution’s request to order his preventive suspension.
‘As pointed out by accused Ang, suspension under the said provision is not automatic,’ the court said. ‘However, it is mandatory.’
According to the resolution, the Supreme Court ruled that the Section 13 of Republic Act No. 3019, which mandates the suspension of a public official, makes it mandatory for the Sandiganbayan to implement the suspension if the Information has been filed.
Ang already pleaded not guilty to two counts of graft filed during his arraignment, where the Informations containing their formal charges were read against him.
With this plea, the court said ‘any remaining objection to the validity of the Informations has been deemed waived.’
‘In fine, the requisites for suspension under Sec. 13 of Republic Act No. 3019 have been met,’ the resolution said.
Prosecutors indicted Ang for alleged violation of Section 3(h) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.