Facts:

• The case is "Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon v. Francisco Sr."
• Petitioners, represented by Maria Olivia Elena A. Roxas, sought to reverse the Court of Appeals' Decision dated December 23, 2005, and Resolution dated May 3, 2006.
• The appellate court rulings overturned the Order dated May 30, 2005, from the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon in Administrative Case No. OMB-C-A-05-0032-A.
• The order had preventively suspended several municipal officers, including Jesus D. Francisco, Sr., a member of the Prequalification, Bids, and Awards Committee (PBAC) of Bacoor, Cavite.
• The case originated from a 1998 complaint by Ligorio Naval against Mayor Jessie Castillo and others for alleged violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act related to the award of a construction contract to St. Martha's Trading and General Contractors.
• The initial complaint was dismissed by the Ombudsman in 1999 but was later revived, leading to the preventive suspension of Francisco and his co-respondents.
• Francisco contested this suspension, arguing that the matter had already been adjudicated and that his suspension was not justified.
• The Court of Appeals ruled in his favor, leading the petitioners to elevate the case to the Supreme Court.
• The Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon dismissed Administrative Case No. OMB-C-A-05-0032-A for lack of probable cause on February 28, 2008, rendering the petition moot.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• The Supreme Court denied the petition for mootness.
• The preventive suspension was no longer justified following the dismissal of the administrative case against...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The preventive suspension ordered by the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon had already lapsed by December 28, 2005.
• The administrative case against Francisco and his co-respondents was dismissed on February 28, 2008.
• The preventive suspensi...continue reading