PAO lawyers deny reported manifestation calling for Acosta's suspension

MANILA, Philippines — Lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office disowned the supposed statement from them urging the Office of the Ombudsman to suspend their chief, Persida Acosta.

In a signed manifesto, more than a hundred lawyers said they “categorical deny” writing or submitting to the Office of the Ombudsman the reported manifestation from lawyers of the office and called it “fake news.”

The lawyers came from different offices of the PAO.

Their statement came after unnamed PAO lawyers reportedly urged the ombudsman to investigate and suspend Acosta and forensics chief Erwin Erfe of scheming to receive extra budget.

The manifestation was unsigned but stated that it came from PAO lawyers.

In the manifestation submitted to the Ombudsman, the lawyers reportedly sought to supplement an earlier filed complaint against Acosta by a certain Wilfredo Garrido Jr. He accused PAO chief of illegally creating its forensic laboratory and manufacturing evidence for a Dengvaxia complaint.

But the lawyers said that the statement was meant to malign PAO and other agencies and “prevent them from independently performing their duties.”

“Obviously, the manifestation was fabricated by someone else; unscrupulous person/s who resort to shady schemes and strategies to advance their personal cause,” they added.

“We hereby condemn the practice of desperate persons in employing deceit and dragging otherwise innocent persons in their devious plan to tarnish the reputation of the PAO by using falsified documents,” they added.

The Malacañang and Department of Justice said they will let the Ombudsman handle the complaint against Acosta.