USWAG Ilonggo Party List Rep. Jojo Ang at the House of Representatives on August 3, 2026. Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News
MANILA — The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division on Thursday upheld its September 9 ruling that turned down the earlier request of Uswag Ilonggo Rep. Jojo Ang to consolidate his 14 graft cases over alleged conflict of interest in infrastructure projects.
The anti-graft court, chaired by Associate Justice Zaldy Trespeses, denied Ang's motion for reconsideration "for lack of merit.”
Office of the Ombudsman prosecutors allege that Ang unlawfully maintained a financial interest in Allencon Development Corp., where he reportedly owned 500 shares.
The Sandiganbayan said the charges pending before separate divisions involve "a distinct public infrastructure project with its own unique contract, procurement process, and financial records."
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It said courts are not required to consolidate cases"simply because they share factual or legal relations.
Ang had earlier argued that the common issue in all of the cases is whether he kept a financial interest in Allencon Development Corp. during the periods material to the case.
Trying the cases in different divisions risks conflicting rulings on the question of divestment, he said.
But the court noted that "the overlap between cases is limited to threshold jurisdictional facts rather than the operative transactional proof."
The court added that each count requires independent documentary and testimonial proof which concerns specific procurement process of the projects.
In its earlier September 9 resolution, the court also said Ang made a "fatal procedural misstep" by not filing his motion for consolidation directly with the Second Division, which handles the case with the lowest docket number.
On September 21, the court’s Sixth Division imposed a 90-day preventive suspension on Ang.