THE Sandiganbayan has imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on Antique Gov. Rhodora Cadiao in connection with a graft charge she is facing over the alleged illegal reassignment of a provincial employee and non-payment of the employee’s salaries and allowances.
The suspension order was contained in a six-page resolution dated September 21 and penned by Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta, chair of the Seventh Division.
“Wherefore, pursuant to Section 13 of Republic Act 3019, accused Rhodora J. Cadiao is preventively suspended from her position as Provincial Governor of the Province of Antique and from any public office which she may now or hereafter be holding for a period of 90 days,” the order read in part.
Court records showed that the complaint was filed by Antonio dela Vega, head of the Provincial General Services Office, after he was transferred to the Culasi satellite office, which was later voided by the Civil Service Commission.
Dela Vega subsequent sought payment of his salaries and representation and travel allowances amounting to P1.665 million from 2016 to 2018 but the governor allegedly denied the payment.
“The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government is requested to inform this court of the dates to which Provincial Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao started serving her preventive suspension and the date of its termination,” the court said in its order.
“A preventive suspension is necessary to forestall the possibility that the accused may use one’s office to intimidate witnesses, or frustrate the prosecution of the case, or continue committing malfeasance,” it added.
“The presumption is that unless the accused is suspended, he or she may frustrate the prosecution of the case, commit further acts of malfeasance, or do both,” the court said.
