Tuguegarao mayor appeals suspension over boat scam

By Raymund Catindig 

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan -- Mayor Jefferson Soriano of this city said he is going to appeal the 90-day preventive suspension order imposed anew against him by the Sandiganbayan, this time in connection with the alleged questionable procurement of defective rubber boats by the Philippine National Police in 2009.

Soriano, who was a former deputy director general, was chairman of the PNP bids and awards committee that year.

 In his motion for reconsideration, Soriano cited a provision in the Local Government Code that states that no elected official must serve suspension beyond 90 days in every year of incumbency regardless of the number of cases filed against the official.

Soriano is on his second month serving an earlier 90-day suspension for another case filed against him and several others before the anti-graft court.

The case stemmed from the purchase of three helicopters allegedly owned by former first gentleman Miguel Arroyo in the same year.

The helicopters were reportedly passed as brand new units.

In January, Soriano left his office to Vice Mayor Engelbert Caronan to serve the suspension.

Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio was directed to implement the Sandiganbayan directive against Soriano  and inform the anti-graft court of the action he has taken.

Sandiganbayan Third Division clerk of court Dennis Pulma said the preventive suspension order was issued pursuant to Section 13 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Pulma said Associate Justice Alex Quiron penned the suspension order, with Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Associate Justice Samuel Martires concurring with it.

Soriano, a former police deputy director, is among the respondents in the graft case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last year against former Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa.

The charges stemmed from their involvement in the allegedly anomalous and overpriced purchase of 75 defective police rubber boats in 2008 valued at P131.55 million.

Pulma said Soriano is the only respondent currently holding a government position, thus he is the only one that can be subjected to preventive suspension pending litigation.