Monday, May 05, 2008
Sandigan cancels arraignment of Perez, 2 others (2:51 p.m.)
MANILA -- The Sandiganbayan Second Division has postponed Monday's arraignment of former justice secretary Hernando Perez and two others over graft and extortion charges.
The magistrates moved the arraignment to May 23 after Perez's wife Rosario, who was also involved in the robbery case, failed to attend Monday's arraignment.
Perez's co-accused, business Ernest Escaler, however, was present at the court Monday.
In a press conference held at the Sandiganbayan Monday afternoon, Perez said the Office of the Ombudsman filed the case against him, his wife, and business associates to cover up for the cases that the Ombudsman has been dealing with.
He also questioned the timing of the filing of the charges and why they were divided into several cases.
The Ombudsman filed the graft charges against Perez, his wife, and business associates Escaler and Ramon Antonio Arceo Jr. last April 18 over allegations that they extorted US$2 million from businessman and former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez in 2001.
Perez disclosed in the same conference that his wife failed to attend Monday's arraignment "because she is undergoing treatment for cancer," adding that he is going to ask his wife's doctor if she can appear on the next hearing. (Sunnex) |
