JV starts serving 90-day suspension today

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito will start serving his 90-day suspension today pending his graft case before the Sandiganbayan.

Ejercito will be joining President Duterte in visits to Malaysia and Thailand this week.

In a privilege speech, he said when he returns after 90 days, he will work doubly hard to recover lost time.

“I will return with increased determination to perform the tasks expected of me as a senator of the Republic,” he said.

“I will return with renewed passion to prove my innocence and to fight those whose only job is to besmirch my name.”  

Ejercito said he wished to spare the Senate and his colleagues the unnecessary distraction from the important work that they do. 

“We face many serious challenges in our country, Mr. President, and we cannot afford to get entangled in a legal conflict with a co-equal branch of government,” he said.

Ejercito said he will voluntarily submit to the suspension order as the committee on rules was set to issue its ruling yesterday that the Senate should wait for the Sandiganbayan’s decision on his petition for a demurrer on the case.

The case arose from the purchase of some P2.1 million worth of firearms for the San Juan police force in 2008 using calamity funds when he was  mayor.

Complainants alleged there was misuse of calamity funds when it was used to purchase firearms for the police.

Ejercito said there was a crime wave in San Juan, as well as the entire Metro Manila, and he had to act decisively to help the city’s police thwart kidnappings and bank robberies.

Alleged anomalous transaction “is anomalous only to the malicious minds and ill intent of my political adversaries,” he added.

Ejercito said he never benefited from any illegal transaction while in public service.

“If I will be imprisoned for fighting crime and protecting the lives of my constituents, so be it,” he said.

“Faced with a similar situation, I will not hesitate to do it again. It was my duty and responsibility as mayor and father of the city to protect the welfare and lives of my people.”

Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, the committee on rules chairman, said the panel was set to rule that the Senate wait for the Sandiganbayan’s resolution on Ejercito’s demurrer.

However, Ejercito decided to submit to the suspension order, he added.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III asked Sotto to review rules on suspension as he thought any suspension order should only be 60 days.