Cebu prosecutors nix private lawyer as chief

CEBU — Ten Cebu prosecutors, including one from the regional state prosecutor’s office, are asking President Arroyo to put on hold the reported appointment of a private lawyer as the next chief provincial prosecutor.

In a manifesto, the prosecutors are asking the President to reassess the purported appointment of lawyer Pepita Jane Petralba to the office, saying whoever is appointed as provincial prosecutor should also be the choice of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

Garcia earlier said she would not intervene in the controversy.

The prosecutors are objecting to the selection process, saying those serving in the provincial prosecutor’s office who have the experience, should have been considered.

In the same manifesto, the prosecutors strongly endorsed Napoleon Alburo, officer-in-charge of the provincial prosecutor’s office, to the position.

They contended that nobody could probably match Alburo’s 18 years in the prosecution service.

"While it is true that generally everyone has the right to dream and aspire to be what he or she wishes to be, the position of Cebu provincial prosecutor must be offered first in the order of preference to the career-oriented public prosecutor...," they said.

However, Vicente Mañalac, assistant regional state prosecutor, told The Freeman that should Petralba be eventually appointed, they would accept the President’s decision and would work with her.

"We have to adjust and work with her. We are professionals and we have mature minds. It is not also good to be forever at odds," Mañalac said.

Petralba, for her part, earlier said she has not been formally informed about her application to the position nor has she attempted to follow it up.

She said she respects the prosecutors’ move as long as it does not reach a personal level.

Besides Mañalac and Alburo, the manifesto was signed by assistant provincial prosecutors Ramon Carisma, Federico Pansoy, Mario Camomot, Luis Calderon, Jasmin Despi, Exequil Dagala, Jose Edwin Renegado and Jay Paradiang. — Freeman News Service