|
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Justice chief orders probe on Subic rape fiscals
JUSTICE Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. on Wednesday directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into the allegations of Subic rape victim Nicole that the panel of prosecutors offered to settle her case in exchange for the freedom of former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc-Joc" Bolante.
"You are directed to conduct an investigation on the recent allegation of the mother of (victim) to the effect that the panel of prosecutors handling her case had allegedly offered to settle her daughter's case in exchange for the freedom of JocJoc Bolante, who is now detained in the USA," he said in an order to NBI officer-in-charge Alejandro Tenerife.
Bolante, alleged architect of the P728 million fertilizer fund scam, is detained in the US in connection with his cancelled B1-B2 visa. He is facing arrest warrants issued by the Senate for failing to appear during the committee hearings on the agriculture fund anomaly.
Gonzalez said the allegations of the victim's mother generated negative public perception and the inquiry would prove whether there was any truth in the alleged offer of a compromise settlement.
"The implication of the statements of the mother warrants an investigation just to put this insinuation to rest once and for all. I have ordered the investigation of the prosecutors and of the whole family to find out who opened or pushed the compromise agreement," he said.
"Lets prove the mother right or wrong," he added.
Among those covered by the investigation were Nicole's mother and brother, as well as the five-member prosecution panel led by Senior State Prosecutor Emilie Fe de los Santos. Other public counsels in the panel are State Prosecutors Hazel Valdez, Noli Quiambao, Elizabeth Berdal and Lagrimas Agaran.
Nicole and her mother earlier asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to replace four of the five members of the prosecution team handling the rape case before the Makati City court.
Gonzalez retained the panel amid the dissatisfaction of the complainant with them, especially after de los Santos branded Nicole and her mother as “liars” and "ingrates" for denying that it was them to brought up the issue of a compromise.
He said he has not authorized any agreement to settle the rape case against principal suspect US servicemen Daniel Smith, Chad Carpentier, Dominic Duplantis and Keith Silkwood.
The justice department further said some anti-administration groups such as Gabriela may have been "peddling lies" to the family of Nicole to inflame the situation. (ECV/Sunnex)
(September 21, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
