THE Sandiganbayan dismissed the criminal charges filed against former Malolos City mayor Danilo Domingo.

The anti-graft court’s Second Division said there were technicalities and lapses on the part of the Office of the Ombudsman in conducting its investigation and filing the case against Domingo.

Presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval upheld the ex-mayor’s argument that his constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases was violated because the information was filed on March 5, 2009 or more than five years after the complaint was lodged with the Ombudsman.

“The court found the delay inordinate and unreasonable as to be violative of the respondent’s right to due process, warranting the dismissal of the criminal cases,” the Sandiganbayan ruling said.

The decision was concurred in by Associate Justices Teresita Diaz-Baldos and Maria Cristina Cornejo.

Records showed that the accused was indicted for violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for his failure to submit his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth for the years 2001 and 2002.

However, the fact-finding investigation took exactly one year with the issuance of a resolution on May 31, 2005 ordering a preliminary investigation.        Jester P. Manalastas