MANILA, Philippines - The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) completed yesterday its fact-finding investigation on the alleged P100-million extortion attempt of two lawyers for a favorable decision from the Pasay City Regional Trial Court handling the electoral sabotage charges filed against former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos.
Jose Cabrera, IBP executive director for operations, told The STAR that among those questioned during a closed door meeting yesterday afternoon were two lawyers and three other witnesses of Abalos.
The two lawyers were part of the eight lawyers questioned in the investigation on the alleged extortion after the two approached Abalos and offered a favorable court decision in exchange for P100 million.
Cabrera did not identify the lawyers or the witnesses that they had interviewed.
“Witnesses of Abalos were also invited to determine if the two lawyers whose names are in the IBP roster were the same involved in the alleged extortion,” he said.
Cabrera said after the final hearing yesterday at the office of the IBP Board of Governors in Pasig City, they will decide whether to pursue the case for adjudication or terminate the proceedings.
The IBP is a quasi-judicial body that has power to hear complaints against lawyers.
Recommendations of the IBP are submitted to the Supreme Court for deliberation.
Cabrera said they have invited at least eight lawyers with the same surname of the lawyers mentioned by Abalos to determine the real identity of the alleged emissaries of Pasay Judge Jesus Mupas who reportedly approached Abalos with an offer to fix his case in exchange for P100 million.
“This is a very serious allegation that must be investigated as it involved members of IBP,” he said.
Cabrera said Mupas as member of the IBP was invited but he did not show up.
Abalos had exposed the alleged extortion attempt during a court hearing last December.
The former Comelec chief filed a motion for Judge Mupas to inhibit from the electoral sabotage case filed against him with regard to alleged cheating in North and South Cotabato in the 2007 elections, due to the alleged extortion attempt.
Mupas, however, denied the motion and set the arraignment of Abalos on Feb. 13.
The judge has also meted the penalty of 10 days imprisonment or fine of P2,000 to Abalos, now detained at the Southern Police District headquarters in Taguig City, and his lawyer Brigido Dulay after they were found guilty of contempt for malicious statements against the court.
Abalos and Dulay had filed an appeal on Mupas’ order.
Mupas also ordered the National Bureau of Investigation and the police Criminal Investigation Detection Group (CIDG) to investigate the alleged extortion attempt.
Mupas earlier directed Abalos and his lawyer to explain why they should not be cited for contempt for malicious statements against the court.
In his compliance to the order, Abalos complained of Mupas’ alleged bias when he ordered a contempt show cause order after an alleged P100-million extortion attempt was exposed in open court.
Abalos said that he did not disrespect the court or the judge when he stated that a certain woman and alleged emissary of Mupas approached him for monetary consideration in exchange for favorable action.