The Sandiganbayan Sixth Division has ordered the 90-day suspension pendente lite (pending litigation) of Records Officer II Lalaine Villalva from the Administrative Division of the Bacolod City Treasurer's Office in light of her pending malversation charge.

Villalva is one of the co-accused of former Bacolod City mayor Luzviminda Valdez, who was implicated of nine charges of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents.

On February 17, Villalva was ordered to show cause why she should not be suspended pendente lite in accordance to Section 13 of R.A. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

On June 24, Villalva filed a manifestation and argued that the Office of the Ombudsman already found her guilty for less serious dishonesty and imposed upon her the penalty of suspension from office for six months and one day without pay.

But in its resolution dated August 13, the anti-graft court said that suspension from office is mandatory whenever an incumbent public officer is charged with graft, a violation of Title 7, Book II of the Revised Penal Code, or any offense involving fraud committed against the government.

Villalva already entered a plea of not guilty on November 18, 2013. "Thus, in so far as this Court is concerned, there is no more question as to the validity of the Information against accused Villalva," the court ruled.

The five-page resolution was penned by the Sixth Division Chairperson Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez, with the concurrence of Associate Justices Karl Miranda and Kevin Narce Vivero.

The case was filed back in 2012. According to the charges, Valdez inflated the amounts in cash slips. She received a total of P364,778 even though the actual amount spent was only P2,091.60.

Villalva, who was a clerk at that time, was accused of helping Valdez commit fraud despite knowing the irregularities.