JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said his office filed a complaint yesterday before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines against Danny Villanueva, a lawyer of one of the suspects in the March 4 killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, for “trifling with court processes.”
Remulla said Villanueva, who represents Osmundo Rivero, has filed a habeas corpus petition despite knowing that Rivero’s wife and children have been taken out of the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP).
He said Villanueva “personally” filed the petition but it was signed only by “Mr. Rivero, so apparently, he is the counsel of Mr. Rivero.”
He said Villanueva still asked the court for a hearing. “So you’re trifling with the court. That’s trifling with the judicial process and you waste the time of the DOJ,” he said.
Remulla explained that a habeas corpus is a “special plea” and one has to show cause why a person is being held in custody, adding that the petition has no more reason as Rivero’s wife and children were already out of WPP custody.
“These are the things that lawyers should not do,” he added.
Remulla said the IBP will decide on disciplinary sanctions against Villanueva.
“It’s up to the IBP. They have to know some people are unscrupulous and are wasting our time,” he said, adding that he, as DOJ chief, is not trying to intimidate Villanueva or even the IBP with his complaint.
“It is our right to complain whenever there is misbehavior or unethical practices on the part of the counsel. Dapat talaga malaman ng IBP,” he said.
To recall, Rivero filed the habeas corpus petition on May 22 with the Manila Regional Trial Court’s Office of the Clerk of Court to direct Remulla and National Bureau of Investigation Director Medardo de Melos to appear before the court and bring with them his family.
He said in his plea that authorities took his 40-year-old wife, his 15-year-old stepson, and his two-year-old son from their home in Zamboanga del Sur on March 5.
This, after Rivero recanted his testimony on his alleged knowledge in the killing of Degamo and its alleged masterminds, suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves and Teves’ former bodyguard Marvin Miranda.
DELAYS
Remulla faulted lawyers of the accused for delaying the proceedings in the case in connection with Degamo’s slay.
On Tuesday, Remulla said defense lawyers did not enter their appearance in the preliminary hearing of the murder and frustrated murder cases filed against Teves before the DOJ.
Teves’ lead counsel Ferdinand Topacio did not attend the hearing.
But Topacio yesterday said Teves’ lawyers were at the hearing.
“Records will show that Mr. Teves’ counsels have consistently participated in all the preliminary investigations involving their client where subpoenas were properly served. In fact, there have already been three cases, so far, where Mr. Teves’ counsels have appeared and have fully taken part in. That, Mr. Remulla cannot deny,” he said.
Topacio said he and the other defense lawyers are getting dizzy with Remulla’s contradicting statements, adding that previously he doubted if the same lawyers really represented the suspects.
“Lahat nahihilo na sa iyo (Everyone is getting dizzy [over what you have been saying]. Whatever it is you are taking, please stop it,” Topacio added.
