File administrative cases, lawyer urges PEA official

Public Estates Authority (PEA) whistle-blower Sulficio Tagud Jr. has a better chance of winning the administrative complaint his lawyers filed against his own colleagues because the evidence needed is not so stringent compared to the criminal charge they filed with the Office of the Ombudsman.

"An administrative case requires only substantial evidence or less quantum of evidences while pieces of evidence in a criminal case have to be proven beyond reasonable doubt," lawyer Marichu Lambino explained, adding that filing the administrative and criminal charges before separate agencies was a "better tactic."

She said they decided to file the administrative case before the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission because PAGC chief Dario Rama had "already made a lot of headway in the investigation."

"He had gathered a lot of documents already, interviewed people, and even made an ocular inspection of the (highway). He seemed very efficient and he went to work right away," Lambino said.

Lambino filed the administrative complaint last Friday.

The case before the PAGC was nearly withdrawn because Lambino initially refused to submit a notarized copy of their complaint as required by Rama. – Nikko Dizon