MANILA – The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its Jan. 19, 2026 resolution placing Candaba, Pampanga Mayor Rene Maglanque under a 90-day preventive suspension over pending criminal graft and malversation cases in connection with the Malampaya Fund scam.
In a resolution dated April 24, 2026, the anti-graft court’s Special Third Division denied Maglanque’s motion for reconsideration and extremely urgent ex-parte motion to stay execution, stating the latter was rendered moot and academic with the preventive suspension having been implemented on Feb. 4, and that the said preventive suspension order was properly issued.
The resolution noted that preventive suspension is mandatory under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act when there is a valid charge against a public official. It also said that an accused can be preventively suspended from public office even if he had been a private individual when the alleged offense was committed.
“The law did not require nor mention that the incumbent public officer must have been in the government service at the time of the commission of the offense,” it said.
The Sandiganbayan also said the preventive suspension serves its purpose, which is to prevent the mayor from exerting influence on or intimidation of witnesses to frustrate his prosecution. Punto News Team/Media reports
