MANILA, Philippines — The chairman of the Presidential Commission on Good Government has told a Supreme Court panel investigating bribery allegations at the Court of Appeals that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo’s lawyer had asked him to call his brother, an associate justice, about the case involving the Manila Electric Co.
Camilo Sabio, who cut short his trip abroad to testify Tuesday, also confirmed that he had called his brother, Associate Justice Jose Sabio Jr., and asked him not to issue the temporary restraining order that was to be handed down against the Securities and Exchange Commission, which was to implement a cease and desist order against the board elections held by Meralco.
The Government Service Insurance System, which is in a dispute for control over the private power firm owned by the Lopezes, had sought the intervention of the SEC.
Quoting lawyer Jesus Santos, Sabio said he was informed that there was a TRO being prepared by the 9th division, which his brother headed.
But the PCGG chief did not link the First Gentleman and justified his action by saying, “I want GSIS to win.”
Following Sabio’s admission, the appellate justices berated the PCGG head for his alleged “violation of the lawyers’ code of ethics.”
Retired Supreme Court justice Flerida Ruth Romero also reminded Sabio that what he did bordered on the “illegal.”
“You are making the Meralco case an exception to so many things. You said you are aware of the judicial ethics and yet you think this is an exceptional situation. You called your brother even if you are bordering into something that is downright illegal,” said Romero.
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My Take:
Good dog. Admitting such thing to clear the FG’s name.
