Pantaleon Alvarez lawyers to help prosecute case vs Floirendo

MANILA, Philippines — Two lawyers of Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez will assist the Office of the Ombudsman in prosecuting Davao del Norte second district Rep. Antonio Floirendo Jr. in connection with a graft case filed against him before the Sandiganbayan.

In a resolution promulgated on May 23 and released yesterday, the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division granted the motion of the ombudsman’s prosecution panel to allow Edgardo de Jesus and Paul Joseph Mercado to assist in the case.

“De Jesus and Mercado are allowed to sit beside and assist the assigned prosecutors, who shall at all times be in control of the prosecution of the case,” the resolution read.

In a paper submitted to the court on May 2, Floirendo said allowing the counsels of Alvarez to sit with the prosecution panel “would give a semblance of the Speaker trying to take over and influence the prosecution of the case.”

Floreindo cited the Office of the Ombudsman Act, which states that only state lawyers could assist in the prosecution of cases against government officials.

However, the anti-graft court said private lawyers could be tapped provided they do not take part or appear on behalf of the ombudsman in court hearings.

Graft probers said Tagum Agricultural Development Co. Inc. (Tadeco), which the family of Floirendo owns, entered into a joint venture agreement with the Bureau of Corrections in 1969 for the lease of 3,000 hectares of land in the Davao Penal Colony for a banana plantation.

Alvarez alleged that Floirendo remains a board member of Tadeco despite his election as congressman.

Floirendo pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment last week.