The Sandiganbayan ordered the 90-day suspension pendente lite of former Mayor Francisco Adalim of Taft, Eastern Samar. Adalim, currently the Punong Barangay of Barangay 4, Poblacion, Taft, Eastern Samar, was indicted for violation of Section 3(e) and (f) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019) and Article 231 (Open Disobedience) of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
In a four-page Resolution, the Sandiganbayan, through Associate Justice Oscar Herrera, Jr., directed 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 show that in August 2009, Adalim refused, without legal basis, to comply with a Civil Service Commission directive ordering the reinstatement and payment of backwages of illegally dismissed employees of the municipality.
The Sandiganbayan Resolution directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement the suspension order and inform the court of the action taken within 20 days from receipt.
Under Section 13 of R.A. 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. ###