Philippines: Jamby to File Obstruction of Justice Case Vs Arroyo, Others

RELATED STORIES

NAVIGATE: Home » All Entries, Press Releases & Statements » Philippines: Jamby to File Obstruction of Justice Case Vs Arroyo, Others

PUBLISHED ON February 15, 2008 AT 9:09 AM

Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo A. S. Madrigal, assisted by counsels from the
Public Interest Law Center, will file on Friday (Feb. 15), 11:00 am,
before the office of the Ombudsman a complaint for “obstruction of
justice” or violation of Presidential Decree 1829 and Article 144 of
the Revised Penal Code in connection with the abduction and/or
kidnapping of Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada Jr.

According to PILC president Romeo T. Capulong, the historic case is
the first complaint accusing a sitting President and the presidential
spouse of obstruction of justice.

Named respondents are President Arroyo, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo,
Executive Sec. Eduardo Ermita, Environment Sec. Lito Atienza,
Commission on Higher Education Chair Romulo Neri, Deputy Executive
Sec. Manuel Gaite and his staff Marcelino Agana IV, PNP Chief Avelino
Razon, PNP-PSPO’s Paul Mascarinas, Presidential Adviser for Special
Concerns Remedios Poblador, Aviation Security Group’s Roger Valeroso,
Angel Atutubo and Octaviano Lian of the NAIA, former Environment Sec.
Mike Defensor, lawyer Antonio Bautista, and several Juan Miguel Does.

“The acts of respondents, individually or taken together, clearly show
respondents’ determination to prevent witness Lozada from testifying
in the Senate Hearing on the ZTE/Broadband Deal,” said the petition.

The petition also alleges that “the abduction, threat, deceit,
intimidation and bribery of witness Lozada in order to prevent him
from testifying in the Senate constitutes obstruction of justice
punishable under PD No. 1829″.

“These same acts of respondents disrupted the proceedings of the
Senate Committees on Accountability of Public Officers, Trade and
Commerce, and National Defense and Security and thus constitutes
disruption of proceedings punishable under Article 144 of the Revised
Penal Code”, the petition added.

Preventive suspension is also sought against respondents to prevent
them from frustrating or hampering their prosecution by intimidating
or influencing witnesses or tampering with documentary evidence, or
from committing further acts of malfeasance while in office. ###

IMPORTANT NOTICE: INBOX is an archive of press releases, statements, announcements, letters to the editors, and manifestos sent to PinoyPress for publication. Please email your materials to pinoypress @ gmail.com. PinoyPress is not responsible for the content of these materials. The opinion expessed in these items does not reflect those of PinoyPress and its staff. Please refer to our terms of use/disclaimer.

RSS feed • Subscribe via email • Discuss

Leave a Comment (Moderated)

You must be logged in to post a comment.

THE NEWS IN PICTURES

End The War. Members of the youth group Anakbayan denounce the war being waged by the government in Mindanao against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. (Photo: arkibongbayan.org)

Where Are They? Relatives, friends and colleagues of victims of enforced disappearances commemorate the International Day of the Disappeared with lighted lanterns and photographs at the Plaza Miranda and in Mendiola on Aug. 30. (Photo: arkibongbayan.org)

Free at Last. The so-called Tagaytay 5 -- Aris Sarmiento, Axel Pinpin, Riel Custodio, Michael Masayes and Rico Ybañez -- shown here inside their prison cell during their incarceration, were freed yesterday. “The dismissal of trumped-up charges and release of Tagaytay 5 is a victory for human rights,” said Ruth Cervantes, Karapatan's public information officer. (Photo: freetagaytay5.net)

Displaced. Residents of North Cotabato have been the ones badly affected by the military offensives launched against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. "As the government continues to indiscriminately drop bombs on Moro and Christian villages in Aleosan and Pikit, more and more civilians are displaced," said Kawagib, a Moro human-rights group.(Photo: Suara Bangsamoro/arkibongbayan.org)

In One Roof. Villagers who fled their homes after the clashes last week between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the south brought every human life with them, including their farm animals. They now live under one roof at an evacuation center in Pikit, North Cotabato. (Photo: Bong Sarmiento / Philippine Human Rights Reporting Project)

Emergency. A scene from "Ambulancia," a short film that tells of a painful twist in an ambulance driver's belief that a dying patient can be saved by running over stray animals on the streets. The award-winning film will be screened at the so-called "Woodstock of short films" in Germany. Richard Legaspi directed the film and it stars Alan Paule and Nor Domingo. (Contributed photo)

Sendoff. The Philippine Army dispatched today, Aug. 10, the 68th Infantry Battalion to Maguindanao. This battalion, together with the 46th Infantry Battalion from Samar, will augment the troops in Central Mindanao for the security operations that will be conducted to ensure peaceful elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao tomorrow. (Photo: Philippine Army)

Killings Denounced. Mindanao journalists gathered in General Santos City on Friday to denounce the recent attacks on their colleagues. On Monday, Dennis Cuesta, a Radio Mindanao Network commentator in General Santos, was shot and is fighting for his life. On Thursday, another RMN broadcaster, Martin Roxas of Capiz City, was shot dead. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

If This Wall Could Talk. With the pleasant scenery as a backdrop (and a constant reminder, perhaps, of a life they could have had), this poor family try to survive by actually living by the sidewalk outside the Chinese school in Davao City. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Undaunted. Activists from Anakbayan scuffle with the police as the Chevrolet Suburban carrying President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo passes by the junction before the newly built Bankerohan bridge in Davao City last week. The president was in the city for the declaration of the merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi parties. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan/davaotoday.com)

Freedom Denied. Lex Adonis, a former broadcaster of Bombo Radyo in Davao City, inside the Davao Penal Colony, where he was jailed after House Speaker Prospero Nograles sued him for libel over a story involving the Davao congressman's alleged sexual relations with a woman other than his wife. Despite a court order, Adonis remains in jail. (File photo by davaotoday.com)

Tribute to Ka Bel. Activists, artists, friends and supporters troop to the Philippine Independent Church on Taft Avenue Monday night to honor AnakPawis Rep. Crispin Beltran, who died last week. Beltran will be buried in Bulacan today, after a ceremony honoring him at the House of Representatives, where he served for several terms as party-list congressman. (Photo by Ayi Muallam/pinoypress.net)

Rare Sight. Moro women students of a madrasah play volleyball during a break in barangay Ugalingan, Carmen, North Cotabato, last week. While Filipina Moros are considered relatively open in their lifestyle compared to Muslim women in other countries, scenes like this are not very common in Moro areas in Mindanao. (Photo by Keith Bacongco/AKP Images)

Ka Bel's Fight. An activist mourns the death of AnakPawis Rep. Crispin "Ka Bel" Beltran, who died Tuesday. Ka Bel's remains lie in state at the IFI Cathedral in Manila. His colleagues, family and friends have lined up a series of tributes. Click here for the schedules, as well as statements and poems honoring Ka Bel. (Photo by courtesy of arkibongbayan)