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MANILA, Philippines — For retelling their tale of having delivered billions of pesos in kickbacks from flood control projects to more than a dozen officials – including President Marcos – 18 men claiming to be former soldiers are now facing an avalanche of legal cases.
The first to file cases against the 18 were Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro and the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), a Roman Catholic missionary congregation, which took legal action on behalf of one of its members, Fr. Flaviano Antonio Villanueva.
Dino de Leon, Team Pinas convenor and a public interest lawyer, said he and his associates are planning to file a complaint of usurpation of authority against Senators Pia Cayetano and Rodante Marcoleta before the Office of the Ombudsman and the Senate ethics committee for leading a “sham” Blue Ribbon committee hearing last Thursday, where the 18 resource persons narrated their allegations, mostly through their lawyer.
In filing a case against the 18, Luistro said their allegations were apparently meant to destroy the credibility of members of the prosecution team of the House of Representatives in the coming impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
She said her filing of the complaint before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office was intended to protect the integrity of the House prosecution panel.
She pointed out that four of the 11 prosecutors have been named as alleged recipients of luggages of cash, while the others were Duterte critics and part of the House investigations on the Vice President and on former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“The commonality among all the people in the affidavit is we are standing for transparency and accountability and we are actively participating in all investigations against the former president and Vice President,” Luistro said over Bilyonaryo News Channel.
The former soldiers first tagged Luistro as recipient of cash deliveries at a press conference last February. They reiterated their accusations at last Thursday’s gathering that ousted Senate president Alan Peter Cayetano had intended to be a hearing by the Blue Ribbon committee. His sister Pia chaired the committee, with Marcoleta as vice chairman.
“At least for myself, it is intended to destroy my credibility, considering my position during the 19th Congress in so many investigations conducted by the House and up to this time that I continue to be part of the prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of the Vice President,” Luistro said, referring to the allegations raised against her.
‘Bearing false witness’
The SVD, for its part, defended Villanueva, saying it has already taken legal action against the 18.
“We categorically deny these allegations. They are false. Legal action has already been initiated. We intend to hold accountable those who have chosen to bear false witness,” the SVD said.
The 18 had claimed delivering the suitcase of cash to Villanueva near a church on Mindanao Ave.
The congregation cited glaring inconsistencies and factual errors in the testimony presented by the 18 who were openly backed by Cayetano’s group in the Senate.
The group added that no church matched the description along Mindanao Avenue, and that no SVD parish, church or ministry center is located in that area.
The congregation said the allegation is a grave injustice against Villanueva, who is widely known for his ministry among the poor and families of victims of extrajudicial killings during the drug war of the former president, who is now detained in The Hague awaiting trial for crimes against humanity.
Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David has also voiced support for Fr. Villanueva and the SVD.
“I join the Society of the Divine World in expressing support for their confrere, Fr. Flaviano ‘Fr. Flavie’ Villanueva, SVD. I have known Fr. Flavie for many years and have witnessed firsthand his unwavering commitment to the human dignity of the poorest of the poor, especially the families of victims of violence and those who often have no one else to accompany them in their suffering,” David said.
“Those who know him know that his ministry has always been marked by compassion, integrity and a profound respect for human life. While allegations must always be taken seriously and examined responsibly, they must also be supported by evidence. No person’s good name should be destroyed by unsubstantiated accusations,” he added.
David said he finds it difficult to believe that a man whose life and work have earned the respect of so many, including the recognition bestowed upon him by the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation after its own rigorous vetting process, would suddenly be tarnished by unfounded allegations.
“I pray that truth, fairness and due process will prevail, and that those who have dedicated their lives to serving the poor and defending human dignity will not be silenced or discredited by unfounded accusations. I stand by Fr. Flavie and pray that truth, justice and due process will prevail,” David added.
De Leon of Team Pinas said the Cayetanos and Marcoleta should be held liable for holding what he described as a sham Blue Ribbon committee hearing on Thursday.
“They are pretending they have the color of authority of the Blue Ribbon committee but they don’t have any, so particularly liable there is Pia Cayetano, who posed as chair despite the fact that she knowingly knew that she no longer was the chair,” De Leon said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City. “Rodante Marcoleta as sub-committee chair and of course poser Senate president Alan Peter Cayetano,” he added.
Disbarment
Apart from usurpation of authority, De Leon said the lawmakers may also be disbarred for lying.
“You are not holding onto your oath and of course you are committing a criminal act as a lawyer. Of course you also have administrative liability,” he said.
Also at the forum, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Terry Ridon said he is not yet inclined to file criminal cases against the 18 men and would rather ignore “barefaced” lies from them. Ridon was one of the personalities tagged by the 18 as having received cash contained in suitcases.
“We are reserving future legal actions in the event they don’t stop spewing lies in the next couple of months,” he said.
On Friday, Sen. Panfilo Lacson warned that senators present at the “bogus” Blue Ribbon gathering could face severe legal consequences, as its participants were not covered by parliamentary immunity.
“Yes, they can be charged, possibly for cyberlibel and other crimes since it was a bogus hearing and no parliamentary immunity may be invoked, not even the senators who participated,” Lacson said.
He explained that the 18 men claiming to be former soldiers could face cyberlibel for their claims.
The public officials and senators who facilitated the rogue hearing may be liable for usurpation of authority or official functions, he added.
Lacson emphasized that individuals maligned during the unsanctioned proceeding have a solid basis to file charges.
New Blue Ribbon committee chairman Sen. Erwin Tulfo declared Cayetano’s Thursday proceedings null and void and set a hearing on the flood control scandal for Monday, June 8. — Neil Jayson Servallos, Emmanuel Tupas
