Notary public ‘admitted’ falsified affidavit in De Lima petitions – SC Justice Velasco

Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr says the notary public admitted that the senator’s affidavits were already signed before she and Senator Leila de Lima met.

MANILA, Philippines – After scrutinizing the affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court (SC) by notary public Maria Cecile Tresvalles-Cabalo, Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr said the lawyer herself admitted violation of the rules on notarial practice.

Velasco made the statement at the continuation of the High Court’s oral arguments on Senator Leila de Lima’s petitions related to her arrest for drug charges on Tuesday, March 28.

Velasco pointed out that the notary public admitted that the senator’s affidavits were already signed before they met.

Section 6 of the rules on notarial practice requires the individual to personally appear before the notary public and sign the document in the presence of the notary.

However, Cabalo’s affidavit implies that such did not happen.

Solicitor General Jose Calida quoted from Cabalo’s affidavit, which says: “I was informed that the petition was already signed and ready for notarization. I was then provided the petition by her staff.”

“Because the jurat in the verification and certification against forum shopping was fabricated, the instant petition is considered unsigned pursuant to Section 4, Rule 7 of the Rules of Court. An unsigned pleading produces no legal effect,” Calida said in his opening statement as he took the floor for the first time to argue for the respondents.

If only for that violation, Calida is calling on the SC to dismiss De Lima’s petitions.

Calida had alleged that Cabalo never personally met De Lima on the day that the senator’s affidavit was notarized on February 24 or the day she was arrested and detained at Camp Crame.

De Lima’s camp had explained that Calida’s evidence was the logbook of the custodial center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) where De Lima is detained. But the notarization happened at another place inside Crame – the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG.)

Velasco clarified Cabalo’s affidavit and asked De Lima’s lead counsel in the oral arguments, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, if the notary public put the impression of her seal when Cabalo and De Lima met.

“I am not aware,” Hilbay responded.

Interpellation of Calida was ongoing as of posting time.

De Lima was arrested on February 24 upon the order of Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 204 Judge Juanita Guerrero.

Rappler.com    Lian Buan  March 28, 2017

#DeLima #Duterte #WarOnDrugs #DrugLordProtector

Kaya naman pala todo depensa ang National Union of Journalists of the Philippines sa ABS CBN at Philippine Daily Inquirer na parehong muling binanatan ni Pangulong Digong dahil sa BIASED reporting ay sapagkat yun palang NUJP ay DOMINADO ng mga tauhan ng dalawang inupakang media outlets. Diba dapat, in the interest of FULL DISCLOSURE, ay sinabi itong mahalagang impormasyon na ito bago binasa ng NUJP ang kanilang pahayag. Ngayon lumalabas na ang NUJP pala ay may CONFLICT of INTEREST SITUATION sapagkat pinangangalagaan nito ang kapakanan ng mga kumpanyang pinagtatrabahuhan ng mga opisyal ng NUJP. So saan naman maaring magpadala ng COMPLAINT laban sa NUJP para sa UNETHICAL CONDUCT? Ang magiging resulta sa paglabas ng balitang ito ay lalong mapapaniwala ang taumbayan na tunay na BIASED ang mainstream media (ABS CBN at Inquirer among many others) at ginagamit pa nito ang mga samahan o organisasyon kagaya ng NUJP para protektahan ang mga pangnegosyong interes ng dalawang media outlets na nabanggit. Sa halip na imbestigahan ng NUJP ang mga paratang ni Pangulong Digong, todo bilis sila sa pagpanig sa dalawang naupakan. Batid naman ng lahat na mayroon nang PANDAIGDIGANG pagbawas sa mga bumabasa ng mga PRINTED NEWSPAPERS dahil sa cell phone, laptop at personal computer na nakakakuha ng balita ang maraming mamamayan. Umuunti na ang bumibil ng pahayagan at umaasa sa radyo at telebisyon para makakuha ng nagbabagang balita. Malagim na ang kinabukasan ng mga pahayagan dahil sa pangangailangan ng INSTANT NEWS eh ang mga printed newspapers ay sa umaga (o hapon) lang lumalabas kaya laging nauunahan ng internet at social media ang pagkalat ng balita sapagkat 24 hours a day ang serbisyo ng mga makabagong tagapamalitang ito.

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday accused some mining firms of financing destabilization moves against his government.

In a news conference in Malacañang, Duterte said mining firms, which he did not name, were funding the opposition to undermine his government.

“Kayong mga mining, I know you are funding the opposite side. Alam ko na ngayon kung sinong gumgastos sa kanila. I know that some of you are giving funding to the other side to destabilize me. If the police and military will allow it, it’s their problem,” Duterte said.

Duterte issued this statement amid the heated debate over Environment Secretary Gina Lopez’s decision to close down 23 mines and cancel mineral sharing agreements.

The Commission on Appointments (CA) may decide on her appointment this week before Congress goes on a break.

Lopez has faced strong opposition from groups benefiting from the country’s mining industry. She said mining only benefits the few and destroys the environment.

During the news conference, Duterte again came to Lopez’s defense, saying the latter is telling the truth.

“Is Gina a liar? No, I don’t [think so],” he said.

“How can you argue with Gina when she is presenting, confronting you with a visual thing? Kami dito, it appalls us na kung mag-lobby-lobby kayo ng mining dyan, gusto niyo ako palitan na president na paluhurin niyo, to do your bidding,” he added, as he held pictures of mining sites supposedly showing massive environmental destruction in several parts of the country.

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News

DAVAO CITY – Presidential sister Jocelyn Duterte’s dance instructor, who was supposedly killed many years ago on orders of then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, posted a six-line message on Facebook on Tuesday, saying he was very much alive.

Retired SPO3 Arthur Lascañas, who appeared at the Senate on Monday, reiterated his claim that he headed the Davao Death Squad for Duterte and alleged that he killed hundreds of people on Duterte’s orders, including his sister Jocelyn’s dance instructor, Ruben Borja Baguio.

But Baguio, obviously irked at claims he had been killed for allegedly being a gigolo, wrote in an apparent message to Lascañas and another witness Edgar Matobato: “What’s your problem? Put your acts in order! Don’t you have something to say anymore?”

Baguio said he has been living peacefully until he was dragged into the investigation on the President’s alleged involvement in summary executions here when he was still mayor.

Baguio said he wanted to “clarify” to all that “it was not true I had been killed.”

“I earn my living decently so please stop the issue,” he added.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer traced Baguio’s Facebook account to August 23, 2011, when it was first opened.

On it, he mostly posted or shared religious articles and quotes, aside from his photos and those of his family and friends.

He also had photos of him with Jocelyn and with Dionisia Pacquiao, mother of boxing champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao.

During the campaign period, Baguio – also a body-building enthusiast – posted pro-Duterte memes and was even photographed doing the Duterte fist sign.

Jocelyn, 68, told the Inquirer by phone that Baguio has been her dance instructor since 2007.

“From 2007 to present. He is my only DI,” she said, adding that they regularly meet at the only ballroom dancing venue in town.

Lascañas had been steadfast in his claim that they had killed Jocely’s DI upon then mayor Duterte’s order because he was dating his sister only for money.

He said he was certain about the job and that they buried the body of the DI inside the Laud quarry in Maa.

Jocelyn, who said she watched Lascañas give his testimony at the Senate on TV, concluded that it was all a farce and part of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV’s effort against his elder brother.

She advised Trillanes to get “certified true and correct” witnesses because the effort against the President has descended to the level of “showbiz” or a “telenovela.”

“You’re looking stupid…you’re wasting the people’s money given to you as salary. Good luck to your DDS sequel!,” she also said in an earlier statement.

The alleged killing of Jocelyn’s DI first made the news in September 2016 when Matobato testified before the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee that the then mayor ordered him and other henchmen to chop him up.

He said the DI was only among hundreds of people killed by the so-called Davao Death Squad during Duterte’s terms as mayor.

Even then, Jocelyn had already branded Matobato’s claim as “a total lie and a serious lie.”

She said the exposé was part of the “politically-motivated plot” masterminded by Senator Leila de Lima against her brother.  SFM/rga

#Duterte #WarOnDrugs