MANILA – Senator JV Ejercito on Monday said he will start serving his 90-day suspension order on Tuesday, November 8.

Ejercito announced his decision to honor the suspension order of the Sandiganbayan after the Supreme Court junked his appeal to block his suspension.

“As part of the legal process, the Sandiganbayan has ordered my preventive suspension as a duly-elected Senator of the Philippines. I would like to emphasize here that preventive suspension is not punitive and has no bearing whatsoever in determining the guilt of an accused,” Ejercito said.

“Tomorrow, I will voluntarily start serving this 90-day suspension. I will do so because I respect the rule of law. I believe in the fairness and probity of the Sandiganbayan as an institution.”

Ejercito’s case involves the alleged unlawful diversion of San Juan City's calamity funds in the amount of P2.1-million for the purchase of high-powered firearms for the local police.

The senator maintained his innocence, saying “the alleged anomalous transaction is anomalous only to the malicious minds and ill intent of my political adversaries.”

Ejercito stressed that he had to get funds from the city’s calamity fund to address the crime wave in San Juan City.