Former Eastern Samar town exec suspended for graft

Official seal of Eastern Samar Sámar Oriental (Photo By Province of Eastern Samar – National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Public Domain)

MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has ordered the 90-day suspension of former Taft, Eastern Samar Mayor Francisco Adalim.

Adalim, incumbent Punong Barangay of Barangay 4, Poblacion, Taft, Eastern Samar, was charged with violation of Section 3(e) and (f) of the Republic Act No. 3019, or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”, and Article 231 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) for open disobedience.

In a four-page resolution, the Sandiganbayan, through Associate Justice Oscar Herrera, Jr., ordered the accused “to cease and desist from further performing and/or exercising the functions, duties, and privileges of Punong Barangay of the Municipality of Taft, Province of Eastern Samar, or any other position he may now be holding, effective immediately upon receipt of this Resolution and continuing for a period of 90 days, unless the suspension is revoked or earlier terminated.”

Records showed that in August 2009, Adalim refused, without legal basis, to comply with a Civil Service Commission (CSC) directive ordering the reinstatement and payment of back wages of illegally dismissed employees of the municipality.

Likewise, the anti-graft court ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to implement the suspension order and inform the court of the action taken within 20 days from receipt.

Under Section 13 of RA No. 3019, any incumbent public officer against whom any criminal prosecution under a valid Information under this Act or under Title 7, Book II of the RPC or for any offense involving fraud upon government or public funds or property, whether as a simple or as a complex offense and in whatever stage of execution and mode of participation, is pending in court, shall be suspended from office.