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Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Justice chief sued for 'abuse of power'
By Benjamin B. Pulta
MANILA -- Three businessmen facing swindling charges for guaranteeing a P17 million deal gone sour between Filipino-Chinese textile merchants have gone to court to complain against Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales Sr.
The businessmen hit what they called the "arrogance" and "abusive" exercise of power by Gonzales, who ordered the filing of charges against the three.
In a 43-page petition, Vincente Co Aquilino, Wilson Aquilino and Eric Rabara Hui recently asked the High Court to reverse a resolution issued by Gonzalez last February 21 reversing the findings of Manila prosecutors who had ruled in the three businessmen's favor.
They said Gonzalez's order also required the city prosecutor "to prepare the corresponding information and file the same in the proper court within two days."
The case was subsequently filed by prosecutors and is now pending before the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 21.
"Even at a glance, one can see immediately and even feel the seething display of misplaced arrogance and abusive exercise of naked power by the secretary of justice," the petitioners said.
Fifteen top Chinese textile suppliers in Divisoria slapped the three businessmen with a criminal complaint for estafa.
The suppliers said they were defrauded of over P17 million by a certain Blesilda Huang whose credit the three businessmen had guaranteed.
The businessmen said the justice chief's order to file charges against them and his reversing of earlier findings by prosecutors clearing the three were in total disregard for the justice department's rules on appeal, which prohibit the filing of a second motion for reconsideration.
(April 5, 2005 issue)
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