THE Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division suspended Mayor Oscar Montilla Jr. of Sipalay City, Negros Occidental for 90 days pending litigation of the graft case filed against him over alleged delay without basis the Office of the Ombudsman’s suspension order against several city employees. The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday said it indicted Montilla for alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act which stemmed from the Ombudsman’s suspension order against several then-city employees at the time material to the case. The court ordered the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement the suspension order and make a written report within five days from notice of the action taken and of the actual date when Montilla began to serve and the expiration of the 90-day preventive suspension. According to the statement, Montilla was accused of giving “unwarranted benefit and advantage” to the then-city employees “by delaying for years, without legal basis, the implementation of the said suspension despite repeated directives from the Office of the Ombudsman–Visayas, to the detriment of public service.”Montilla was arraigned on August 1, 2017. Associate Justice Alex Quiroz, Fourth Division head, penned the ruling which was concurred in by Associate Justices Reynaldo Cruz and Bayani Jacinto.

Source: Manila Times January 08, 2018 13:07 UTC