THE Sandiganbayan has ordered the 90-day suspension without pay of a municipal mayor in Pampanga in connection with a criminal complaint filed against him by a steel manufacturing company.
San Simon Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. was ordered to cease and desist from performing his duties, privileges, and functions as mayor. The suspension order, which the Sandiganbayan directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government to implement, stems from a complaint of extortion filed by officials of RealSteel Corp.
Punsalan and his accomplices are facing charges for allegedly violating Section 3(b) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and committing robbery by means of extortion as provided under Article 293 of the Revised Penal Code. RA 3019 prohibits public officials from soliciting and accepting gifts, favors, or commissions from any government transaction in which they have the capacity to intervene.
The Office of the Ombudsman filed the case on Sept. 2, alleging that Punsalan and his companions demanded P80 million in exchange for the non-revocation of RealSteel’s permit. The respondents were arrested on Aug. 5 by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) following a sting at the Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles City. The NBI said Punsalan was collared after he allegedly received P30 million in initial payment from representatives of RealSteel.
The complainants said Punsalan originally demanded P125 million in exchange for the non-revocation of the company’s business permit and non-reversal of a local ordinance, which granted tax incentives to RealSteel. Punsalan was released from detention after a trial court in Muntinlupa City granted his petition for habeas corpus. The Department of Justice filed a robbery-extortion case against Punsalan as provided under RA 3019.
The Sandiganbayan said the validity of the charges against Punsalan was affirmed when the anti-graft court issued a resolution on Sept. 8, finding probable cause for the issuance of an arrest warrant and hold departure order against the respondent. The court said the validity of the case information was further affirmed when Punsalan was arraigned and entered a plea.
