Suspected robbery gang leader gets new counsel

Suspected robbery gang leader Joel Somabong yesterday engaged the services of a new counsel appointed by the court for him following the withdrawal of his lawyer.

Regional Trial Court Judge Estella Alma Singco appointed lawyer Salvador Solima to be Somabong's new legal counsel because Somabong does not have a lawyer anymore.

Somabong's previous lawyer, Rameses Villagonzalo, earlier withdrew his services, claiming that his client had lost trust and confidence in him.

Villagonzalo admitted that he felt slighted when another lawyer appeared and granted media interviews contrary to his statements after Somabong was arrested a few months ago.

Solima was supposed to only represent Dindo Ancero and Isagani Chiko who are also suspects in the robbery of the Bogo town branch of the Land Bank of the Philippines in 2005. But because of his designation by the court, he is now representing four of the six accused in the robbery.

Aside from Somabong, Ancero and Chiko, Solima is now also the counsel for Efren Beladas.

The court scheduled the pre-trial conference of the case yesterday, but it was reset to March 22 because of the failure of the representatives from the Land Bank to appear.

Solima moved that the pre-trial be deferred until the Land Bank representatives are present because he wants to know if the bank officials are still interested in pursuing the case.

According to Solima, if the bank officials still fail to appear in the next hearing, he will move for the dismissal of the case on the ground that the complainants are no longer interested.

Singco said they had sent a notice of hearing to the bank officials in Bogo via registered mail. She also warned another robbery suspect, Joseph Ancajas, of possible arrest if he fails to appear in the next hearing.

Singco said she would order for the cancellation of Ancajas' bail if he will not show up in the next hearing. Ancajas and his lawyer did not appear yesterday.

Ancajas, Somabong, Ancero, Beladas and Chiko, together with Henry Cuerda, were among those charged with robbery in band for the heist.

Somabong earlier confessed to have been involved in the P9.4 million heist, and claimed that an influential politician was behind the robbery. - Fred P. Languido/LPM