Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over Alice Guo’s graft case — DOJ chief

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said the graft case of dismissed mayor Alice L. Guo filed before the Tarlac regional trial court (RTC) should have been filed before the Sandiganbayan.

An arrest warrant was issued by the Tarlac RTC in Capas against Guo based on the case filed by the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) on complaint lodged by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Remulla pointed out the prosecutors of the OMB may have made a mistake in filing the graft case before the Tarlac court because dismissed mayor Guo is Salary Grade 30.

Under the law, local courts have jurisdiction over graft cases filed against government personnel with Salary Grade 26 and below and the Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction on cases against public officials and employees with Salary Grade 27 and above.

Remulla said the DOJ will ask for clarification to this matter.

He said they will write the Ombudsman on the matter because it may be an oversight and the latter did not carefully examine why the case was filed before the RTC when a mayor is a Salary Grade 30.