Sandiganbayan suspends Uswag Ilonggo Rep. Ang for 90 days

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has ordered the preventive suspension of Rep. James Ang Dit Ang Jr. (Uswag Ilonggo Partylist) pending the resolution of the graft charges against him.

In a resolution promulgated on September 21, the anti-graft court directed that Ang be suspended from his post as a member of the House of Representatives, as well as from any other public office he may currently or hereafter hold, for 90 days.

The suspension stems from two criminal cases charging Ang with violations of Section 3(h) of Republic Act No. 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The charges are premised on Ang's alleged financial or pecuniary interest in Allencon Development Corporation (Allencon), according to the anti-graft court.

In ordering the suspension, the court cited Section 13 of Republic Act No. 3019, which mandates the suspension of any incumbent public officer facing a valid criminal prosecution under the anti-graft law.

The court pointed to jurisprudence explaining that preventive suspension is mandatory once the validity of the information is established.

"The court trying a case has neither discretion nor duty to determine whether preventive suspension is required to prevent the accused from using his [or her] office to intimidate witnesses or frustrate his [or her] prosecution or continue committing malfeasance in office," the court noted, citing the Supreme Court ruling in Bolastig v. Sandiganbayan.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed 14 counts of graft against Ang Jr. on July 25.

The Ombudsman alleges that while serving in Congress, Ang held a pecuniary interest in Allencon, a construction firm that won P214 million in Department of Public Works and Highways contracts and was paid nearly P199 million.

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