LAWYER Roger Reyes clarified he has no copy yet of a Supreme Court (SC) order suspending him from practicing law for a year for alleged violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility.
OCA issued Circular No. 52-2015 against Reyes, the case of which stemmed from the resolution of the Second Division dated August 18, 2014 in relation to the Administrative Case No. 10492 (formerly CBD Case No. 05-1551) entitled "Dorotea Cayatas vs. Atty. Roger Reyes."
"I have not received an official copy so I cannot comment.
If this SC order is true, it’s timely because I had a stroke in December 2014 and I have been withdrawing from my court cases since then," he said in a statement.
But Reyes, lawyer of Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) director Marichi Ramos, said he will continue to pursue his advocacy on running after corrupt officials of Baciwa.
"I need the vacation to recuperate but this does not mean that I and Baciwa director Marichi Ramos will stop our advocacy against graft and corruption in Baciwa. Now, I have more time to initiate more cases against grafters in Baciwa in the Office of the Ombudsman," Reyes added in the statement.
He added that, "We are now investigating involvement of past members of the Baciwa Board in the P537-million behest loan from the Local Water Utilities Administration, as well as the acquisition of alleged overpriced water meters and supplies. (Baciwa) chairman Ma. Aida Torre does not want Ramos to sit in the Board because she is afraid that Ramos will discover more anomalies in Baciwa."
Reyes alleged that Torre and Baciwa director David Villanueva recently attempted to pass a board resolution stating that all records of board meetings remain concealed inside the board room and cannot be taken out by the directors themselves.
This was reportedly opposed by Baciwa director Lorendo Dilag, saying Bciwa is a public, not a private corporation.
Reyes said he also heard that Baciwa general manager Juliana Carbon announced her retirement and granted media interviews.
"I do not believe she will retire because her companions in Baciwa will all become insecure without her," he added.