MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has ordered the preventive suspension of former Quezon City Administrator Aldrin Cuña after the accused failed to explain why he should not be meted out with this.

In a resolution promulgated on April 3, the anti-graft court’s Third Division said it gave Cuña 10 days to explain, but he did not do so.

Cuña was thus preventively suspended from serving as the Executive Vice President of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP) and any other public position for 90 days. The NDCP is under the Department of National Defense.

Cuña is facing graft charges along with former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista for allegedly favoring the contractor Cygnet in the P25.3 million installation of a solar power and waterproofing system for the city’s Civic Center Building.

READ: Bistek’s co-accused pleads not guilty to graft charge over P25-M project

READ: Sandiganbayan junks Bistek’s motion to dismiss graft case

The Court clarified, however, that the preventive suspension is not a penalty.

“It is not imposed as a result of judicial proceedings. In fact, if acquitted, the official concerned shall be entitled to reinstatement and to the salaries and benefits which he failed to receive during suspension,” the resolution read.