Monday, March 19, 2007 Sonny questions timing of charges vs. John-John
A DAY after confirming his son’s plan to run for congressman of Cebu Province’s first district, former senator John “Sonny” Osmeña said he would not interfere with a justice department investigation on the former vice governor of Cebu.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) filed a complaint last week at the Department of Justice against John-John Osmeña, three former members of his Capitol staff and several others for the allegedly illegal importation of pseudoephedrine, a decongestant that is also an ingredient in the manufacturing of shabu.
“I am hurt and disappointed by these events,” Sonny Osmeña said in a press statement.
“I would like to assure our law enforcers, and the officers of our criminal justice system, that I will not interfere nor be involved in any way in their investigations. John-John is 37 years old and should be responsible for his actions. I can do no more,” he added.
In a radio interview Saturday, the Senate aspirant said his son was preparing to come home from the United States to run for Congress. His press statement yesterday did not say whether the younger Osmeña would be coming home to face the justice department.
In a separate press conference, former Cebu governor Emilio “Lito” Osmeña said that the family has decided against his nephew’s coming home.
“You cannot have John-John run in the first district and not win,” he recalled telling Sonny. “Madisgrasya ka pa sa pagka-senador nimo (You’ll just jeopardize your senatorial bid.”
“There’s plenty of time ahead of him (John-John). Senador una iyang amahan (Let his father become senator first), then he chooses what he wants to be later,” Lito Osmeña added.
Sonny Osmeña also revealed that from July 2004 to December 2006, the government employed John-John as a “consultant” in the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
“The filing of this case, as the campaign period for the 2007 election intensifies, leads one to suspect that Malacañang may have intentionally delayed this case, and now causes its filing just to torpedo the Senate bid of a member of the opposition,” Osmeña added in his press statement.
In March 2004, at the height of his gubernatorial campaign, John-John Osmeña voluntarily appeared at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 to ask for a swift investigation on the pseudoephedrine importation. He had said he wanted to avoid “trial by publicity” and would appreciate a chance to face his accusers. (AAG/With PR)
