Sandigan suspends Cuerpo, 3 others for 90 days

The Sandiganbayan has ordered the 90-day suspension of Rodriguez, Rizal Mayor Pedro Cuerpo and three other municipal officials for graft.

Ombudsman special assistant prosecutor Maria Janina Hidalgo petitioned the Sandiganbayan to suspend Cuerpo and his co-accused after residents of Rodriguez filed graft complaints against them.

The complainants, Leticia Nanay, Nancy Barsubia, Gemma Bernal, Ma. Victoria Ramirez, Crisanta Oxina and Adelaida Ebio, accused Cuerpo and his co-accused of depriving them of the “lawful use of their land and without due process of law and without any legal basis or court order caused the forcible demolition of their temporary shelters.”

Ordered suspended along with Cuerpo were municipal engineer Fernando Rono, barangay chairman Salvador Simbulan, and police officer Renato Evasco.

When reached for comment, Cuerpo said the 90-day suspension is not yet final and executory.   “My lawyers have already filed a motion for reconsideration with the Sandiganbayan and I just want to clarify that I am still the mayor of Rodriguez town,” he said.

Cuerpo said the case stemmed from the demolition of around 60 temporary tents that were built along the Mango River in Barangay Burgos.

“The place where they built their temporary shelter is considered a danger zone and they stood there without a permit from the municipality,” he said.

Cuerpo said those who occupied the area were the ones ejected from a Madrigal property in Quezon City.