Adaza launches word war vs GMA

Lawyer Homobono Azada challenged top government officials to debate the current issues after he declared yesterday an all out “word war” against the administration of President Arroyo for allegedly manufacturing cases to terrorize critics of Malacañang.

Adaza told newsmen during a press conference at the Sulo Hotel in Quezon City that he was forced to fight back because Mrs. Arroyo pushed him to the wall after the police arrested him and several active and retired military and police officers for allegedly plotting a coup against the administration.

He said the administration is going after opposition lawyers and critics of the Arroyo administration, after he served as the lawyer of former National Bureau of Investigation assistant director Samuel Ong, who was the alleged source who released to the public the controversial “Hello Garci tape,” which recorded purported conversations between Mrs. Arroyo and former Commission on Elections commissioner Virgilio Garcillano about the manipulation of votes in the 2004 presidential elections. 

“I have been silent these past years on commenting on public issues except to come up with a pamphlet like the core agenda for the revision of the Constitution. But this Arroyo government is forcing me to go back to the area, which I consider my field of competence, to debate on public issues,” Adaza said.

Adaza accused the President of incompetence and corruption. He said the that out of the P1.3 trillion budget of the government for 2008, at least 40 percent or P500 billion will go to corruption, P 400 billion will pay the foreign debt and only P380 billion will go to the much needed fund for government operations.

Adaza said the administration had also failed to address the rising criminality, extrajudicial killings, smuggling and illegal gambling and illegal drugs.

He also clarified that contrary to media reports, only charges of proposal to commit a coup and obstruction of justice were filed against him and his co-accused at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court.

Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) operatives arrested Adaza, Army Lt. Col. Oscarlito Mapalo, retired Army Colonels Cesar dela Peña and Ernie Amboy, and former police Senior Superintendent Rafael Cardeño last June 2, 2008 at Ortigas Center in Mandaluyong.

The CIDG said Adaza and his companions were arrested based on the claim of another lawyer, Raymund Fortun, that Adaza had a “proposal to commit coup d’etat.”

Fortun, a former counsel of pardoned President Joseph Estrada, said he filed the complaint “based on my own personal knowledge of the actions of the group.”

He said Adaza’s group attempted to extort $4 million from his Japanese and Filipino clients, and the money used to finance activities to overthrow the Arroyo administration.

Fortun said his clients are Motonori Sakuma and Joanne Laurilla, consultant and general manager of Island Country Resorts Inc. and Buenavista Island Resorts in Marinduque.

Adaza said Fortun’s claim is not only ridiculous but absolutely false. “It’s not only unbelievable, it takes an insane imagination to come out with that theory,” he said.