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Sunday, April 24, 2005
School exec alleges lawyer sought cash
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
* lawyer says he spent some money to cover own expenses
* Group rejects psychiatric tests
THE administrator of the controversial Jesus Christ Followers (JCF) school alleged that a lawyer who acted as counsel for them in court hearings supposedly tried to collect money from them.
In an interview Emelinda Tiongco claimed that lawyer James K. Judith II sought money from her husband to process the bail for her and later increased the amount on learning that the bail would be for all JCF members in jail.
In response Judith sent text messages to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro refuting the allegations saying his representation of the group comes without no cost to them.
Tiongco and her husband went to this paper's office Sunday afternoon to recount their supposed dealings with Judith.
They also went to the Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines office to ask for legal help on bailing out the JCF members.
She said former IBP president Antonio Zoilo Velez suggested that they seek help from Judith who reportedly represents the legal aid section of the group.
Tiongco said Judith asked her husband at first for P1,500 to process the documents for her bail but increased the amount to P20,000 on learning that the bail is intended for all JCF members.
Bad impression
Tiongco said Judith went to her at the Lumbia jail and she told him that they can't afford P20,000, adding that they don't need a lawyer because they have counsel in one of their own, Rah Dacudao.
However she said Judith insisted on representing them by saying that no lawyer is willing to take up their case. She said Judith told her that the public has a bad impression on JCF and wants to help them clear that image.
"I told him okay and do it with the media if you wish but we are not getting any other lawyer to defend us. I told him take it or leave it," Tiongco said claiming that Judith even asked her for P1,000 to pay for his time and travel to Lumbia jail.
"When I told him, I don't have money, he said how about P500? I told him even P1 I don't have. He even told me ka kuripot sab nimo (you're so stingy)," she said.
She said it ended with her telling Judith to help them through the media instead of him acting as their lawyer. Tiongco said she was surprised when Judith appeared in court to represent them.
Nothing
She said her niece, JCF official Rhapsody Dacudao, even shouted at Judith for claiming to be their lawyer when they haven't hired him.
At Judith's appearance in the second court hearing Tiongco said Rhapsody questioned his presence, denouncing that the courts make money and lawyers only want money.
Tiongco then claimed that her husband paid Judith P1,500 but the latter didn't even help them secure bail for Rah Dacudao who was the first to eventually be bailed out.
According to her P21,000 was sought each by Judith for Rhapsody and herself to post bail on three counts of direct assault and oral defamation and serious public disturbance.
Tiongco said P24,000 was sought for Rah on three counts of direct assault and there was no effort to avail of the 50 percent bail reduction.
She said her husband, who works for a law firm has to look for money himself and asked for some people. Tiongco said he told her how to process the bond and added that she asked for help from court employees to do this.
"But for the motion to reduce bail bond it was a PAO (Public Attorneys Office) lawyer who helped us out. I gave Judith P1,500 but he did nothing," she said.
Tests
Later Judith told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that he didn't ask nor receive any bail money.
"There was none man intawon that (P1,500) was supposedly my acceptance man, kulang pa man gani kay nagbinotbot man sila kay wala naman ang sustento gikan (It was even lacking since they lied, there is no support from) Australia," he said.
The lawyer said it was the group that refused to post bail and he was at a loss on how to work things out. Judith said they couldn't qualify at first since they are an institution.
Pero gipagbigyan ko na lang agud expenses ra sa jail visits ra gani sila nagbinotbot nga maka-afford sila pero dili man diay. At any rate, gipadayun ko na lang (But I helped them anyway only expenses for jail visits and they lied by claiming they can afford but they couldn't as it turned out. At any rate I continued in) in my personal capacity," he said.
The JCF members earlier refused to submit to a psychiatric test proposed by Judith to the court that it approved.
The psychiatric tests are intended to determine whether they suffer from mental ailments. Judith said their case wouldn't go anywhere if the tests prove they suffer from mental illness.
Conceded
However the JCF people refused to do this with Tiongco saying they aren't crazy. She said if there's anyone who should be made to undergo a psychiatric test it should be Judith.
The court already gave Judith the go-ahead to submit the group to a psychiatric evaluation. The JCF posted bail to secure their temporary freedom after being jailed for two months.
Judith clarified that his clients did inform him of their decision to post bail but he only learned of the matter a week after the group secured their temporary freedom.
"They have conceded now after I urged them several times to post bail but they refused and now this," Judith said in Visayan. The group earlier refused to recognize Judith and even accused the lawyer of making money out of them.
But Judith explained that it was Tiongco's husband who begged for his legal assistance and that he has not received a dime for his service.
JCF is facing multiple charges filed by the Department of Education and the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office.
Tired
Tiongco however said over dxDD Channel 39 that only charges of direct assault were filed on them out of 18 cases lodged against the group.
Judith believes that his clients would again make a spectacle of themselves after securing their temporary liberty.
"Gakapura na ko sa ilang nga dili sila makasabot (I'm already tired that they don't seem to understand things," the lawyer added.
Despite the hostile treatment his clients give him, Judith said he would remain their counsel. He said he couldn't back down to previous commitments.
Charges were filed against JCF administrators after the bloody raid at the group's compound last January.
Armed with the court order, police authorities forcibly entered the group's compound to rescue a minor following complaints from the parents. (With reports from Sun.Star Superbalita)
(April 24, 2005 issue)
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