Sinuspinde ng Office of the Ombudsman si South Cotabato 1st District Rep. Pedro Acharon, Jr. kaugnay ng maanomalyang paggamit ng P2.5-milyon pondo sa isang cultural event sa Amerika noong 2006.
Pinatawan si Acharon ng 60-day preventive suspension habang nililitis ang kasong graft na kinakaharap niya sa 2nd Division ng Sandiganbayan.
Ang suspension order ay inilabas ng anti-graft court noon pang Enero 28, 2016, batay na rin sa kahilingan ng mga prosecutor ng Office of the Ombudsman.
“The authority of this Court to order the preventive suspension of an incumbent public official has both legal and jurisprudential support. There is no merit [too] in the argument of the accused that as Congressman of the First District of South Cotabato, he no longer approves or implements disbursement of public funds, as he used to do as former City Mayor of General Santos City in which capacity he was charged in this case, or that his constituents would be deprived of representation if he were to be suspended,” ayon sa korte.
Magpinsang paslit nagkayayaang maligo sa lawa, nalunod
Matatandaang kinasuhan si Acharon, kasama ang apat na opisyal ng General Santos City, dahil sa paglabag sa Section 3(e) ng RA 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) dahil sa maanomalyang paggastos sa nabanggit na pondo nang dumalo ang mga ito sa Tambayayong Festival sa California, USA, noong Hunyo 2006.
Pormal na ring ipinatupad ni House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. ang suspensiyon ni Acharon. (Rommel P. Tabbad)
