Sandiganbayan suspends Iligan City Mayor for 90 days

DAVAO  CITY, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan ordered a 90-day preventive suspension against Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia for functioning as the chief executive  while he was in jail..

Regencia was ordered to cease and desist from performing his duties as mayor and from any other public office which he may be holding for a period of 90 days from receipt of the order, unless a motion for reconsideration is seasonably filed.

The 7^th division of the Sandiganbayan issued the suspension pendente lite citing the mandatory character of the suspension once the accused is arraigned under a valid Information and the ministerial function of the court to order the preventive suspension.

Regencia was indicted for Usurpation of Authority  upon finding probable cause, he illegally performed the functions of a mayor while being detained for a criminal offense.

It can be recalled that sometime October  2015, Regencia was jailed  for his alleged involvement in the ambush of former congressmen Vicente Belmonte in December 11, 2014.

In 2016, Regencia ran and won the mayoralty race in Iligan.

In January 25, 2017, Judge Ferdinand Baylon of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 77, ordered the release of Regencia as he granted the motion of the Department of Justice to withdraw the information it filed in court regarding his case.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph