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Saturday, January 29, 2005
Lawyers group still undecided on president's apology
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
THE officers and board of directors of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Misamis Oriental chapter are still to decide whether to accept or not the explanation of Atty, Zoilo Antonio Velez on the endorsement issue or not.
Velez defended his controversial endorsement of ex-Bombo Radyo area manager Joel Baldelovar as the professional sector representative of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) board of directors and apologized for any "misinterpretation".
In an interview with Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro Friday, IBP-MisOr public information officer Atty. James Judith said their organization's officers and board of directors have yet to decide on whether Velez's letter is acceptable or not.
"Wala pami ka decide kung unsay buhaton adtong letter ni Atty. Velez kung ok naba to or kung dili unsay other proper course of action nga among pagahimoon (We have not yet decided on what to do with Atty. Velez's letter if his letter would do or if not what is the proper course of action that we are to undertake)," he said.
Judith said they are going to have a board meeting this Feb. 4 on which they would tackle this controversial issue.
"By Feb. 4, we will know whether the letter is acceptable or not," he said.
Two lawyers who requested anonymity said Velez's controversial endorsement for Baldelovar has "rocked not only the lawyers but also the entire local community."
In his four-page letter to IBP-MisOr public information officer Atty. James Judith, Velez countered the issues raised by the IBP-MisOr officers and directors in their letter to the former dated last Jan. 13, 2005.
This included the issues on how his endorsement for Baldelovar amounts to "misfeasance and impropriety", misrepresentation and how it was done "with an apparent attempt to cloth such highly irregular act by dragging the IBP into the matter."
Also, in his using the IBP-MisOr letterhead when he issued the letter endorsement for Baldelovar and in the usage of the word "we" in its contents.
At the last part he said, "Lastly, I would like to extend my apology to all constituents who have felt prejudiced by my personal act, due to misinterpretations. I am hoping that this letter would somehow shed light on this misunderstanding."
Velez's letter endorsement for Baldelovar was dated last Dec. 22, 2004 to Dr. Rey Java, the then secretary of the COWD board of directors.
As of Dec. 31, 2004, there were two positions - media and professional sector representatives - declared vacant by the COWD board of directors. Each COWD director is paid P8,000 per meeting or P32,000 per month plus free water supply, sacks of rice and other allowances.
(January 29, 2005 issue)
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