Bong files disbarment case vs ombudsman prosecutors

MANILA, Philippines - Government prosecutors were accused yesterday of tampering with documentary evidence presented in court against Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. to make him appear guilty.

Revilla had tasked his lawyers to file disbarment cases against the prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman.

They will also be charged with criminal and administrative offenses.

The discovery was made by Remegio Micahel Ancheta, defense counsel of Revilla’s former chief of staff Richard Cambe, during marking of evidence at pre-trial procedures last Friday.

Revilla plans to file disbarment cases against prosecutors of the Office of the Ombudsman and other individuals allegedly involved in altering the documents to be used against him during his plunder trial.

“Initially, I didn’t want to talk about it as they might think that I am just trying to delay the proceedings,” he said in Filipino.

“However, it’s not right for them to tamper with the evidence to make us look bad before the public. It’s possible that it’s not the only evidence that they have doctored. That might only be the beginning.”

In a statement yesterday, Revilla said they are determining who among the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Office of the Ombudsman and Department of Justice (DOJ) are to blame.

Ancheta said he found out that the documents  that the prosecution had submitted were fabricated while they were in the middle of marking evidence.

When compared with the originals, it was discovered that some critical details that might prove Revilla’s innocence were removed from the four different pages of photocopied disbursement vouchers allegedly submitted in court, he added.

Ancheta also exposed yesterday to the Sandiganbayan the prosecution’s lies based on their allegedly concocted evidences.

Meanwhile, Revilla said the wait for the Sandiganbayan’s decision on his petition for bail is like waiting for his wife to give birth.

“That’s the feeling – I’m very, very confident,” he said. “I have totally surrendered to the Lord. I have faith in Him.”

Revilla said he will respect whatever would be the decision of the Sandiganbayan.

“I believe that my bail petition would be granted,” he said in Filipino. “They have no evidence against me.”

Benhur admits part in siphoning P100 million

Benhur Luy admitted yesterday that he was a signatory in all withdrawals and other financial transactions involving P100 million in public funds received by the Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation Inc. (SDPFFI), a non-government organization (NGO) which he headed as president.

On cross-examination by Stephen David, defense counsel of Janet Lim-Napoles, Luy told the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division that he was the authorized signatory of all the financial transactions.

Fifth Division chairman Roland Jurado ordered Luy to give the answer being asked of him and nothing more after the defense moved to cite him in contempt for expounding or annotating questions when they could only be answered by a yes or no.

Justices ordered Luy’s testimony that a businessman named John Ng received money from Napoles for Sen. Jinggoy Estrada stricken off the record for being speculative.

Luy said Napoles had told him that she sent a manager’s check to Ng supposedly intended for Estrada.

However, Luy admitted that he did not know for certain if the money was indeed for Estrada.

Luy repeated his testimony before the Senate that Estrada’s mother, former senator Loi Ejercito, was given the code name “Inay” and Estrada was “Anak,” although he was also known as “Sexy” and “Cong. Biazon.”

Estrada said Luy’s testimony was speculative, baseless and  absurd.

“(Luy) cannot say that he had given the money to me,” he said in Filipino.

“(Luy) is saying that he had given the money to (Pauline) Labayen, (Ruby) Tuason. That’s hearsay,” he said.

Estrada said it does not mean that he received commissions from the project even if he or his mother endorsed the NGOs, since after his endorsement, the implementing agency would decide whether to grant it or not.

“Endorsement letters are recommendatory and it would be up to the implementing agency to grant our request or not,” he said.

“If they decide to grant the request to the specific NGO, it does not mean that we received kickbacks, rebates or commissions or whatever you may call it.

“I think he’s already concocting his stories. I know Juan Ng, I know him personally, he’s my kumpare. Maybe he has a transaction with Mrs. Napoles which I don’t know (about).”