Tuesday, July 08, 2008 Carlo to face charges for defending father
THE Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has recommended the filing of a criminal case against Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Pontico Fortuna for practising his law profession while holding a government office.
Fortuna represented his father, a former city councilor,who was facing charges at the Sandigan-bayan along with former mayor Alfredo Ouano.
Fortuna is facing char-ges for his alleged violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act filed by Ariston Cortes III.
Graft Investigator Phi-lip Camiguing found that Fortuna, who was a councilor then, violated Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991.
Conflict
The Code prohibits lawyer members of the city council to use their profession in cases that involve government officials.
This is viewed as a conflict of interest since his father’s opponent in the case is the government.
Camiguing’s recommendation was approved by Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago.
Santiago said that even if Fortuna was granted the permission to practice his profession, he wasn’t on official leave when he attended the hearing at the Sandiganbayan on Aug. 14, 2003.
But Fortuna was cleared of the administration aspect of the case by being elected in the last elections.
The criminal aspect of the case, which is his engaging in unlawful practice of his profession, remains. (DRT)
