The Sandiganbayan, the country’s anti-graft court, on Tuesday ordered the 90-day suspension of Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito for alleged unlawful diversion of San Juan City’s P2.1 million in calamity funds to buy high-powered firearms for its police department in 2008.

The court’s fifth division granted the motion of the Office of the Special Prosecutor to suspend Ejercito while facing trial.

Last April, Ejercito pleaded not guilty of the charge where he posted P30,000 bail for his bail.

The senator’s co-defendants in the technical malversation case are former San Juan City Vice Mayor Francisco Zamora, former Vice-Mayor Leonardo Celles, with city councilors Andoni Carballo, Vincent Pacheco, Angelino Mendoza, Dante Santiago, Rolando Bernardo, Grace Pardines, Domingo Sese, Francis Peralta, Edgardo Soriano, Janna Ejercito-Surla, Ramon Nakpil, and Joseph Torralba. DMS