Palace temporarily stops DOJ from filing raps versus Mikee Romero

Malacañang has temporarily stopped the Department of Justice (DOJ) from filing criminal charges against newly elected 1-Pacman party-list Representative Michael “Mikee” Romero, who was alleged to have committed qualified theft against Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc (HCPTI).

In an order dated June 15 and received by the DOJ on Thursday, Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Mildred Yovela Umali-Hermogenes ordered HCPTI, which is represented by lawyer Jerome Canlas, to comment within 15 days on the appeal memorandum filed by Romero and his co-respondents Edwin Jeremillo and Edwin Joseph Galvez.

Romero on Monday filed a notice of appeal with the Palace to challenge a DOJ resolution penned by Acting Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas granting a motion for reconsideration filed by HCPTI seeking to reverse a Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office’s dismissal of qualified theft against them.

“In view of the foregoing, the execution of the Resolution subject of this appeal is hereby stayed during the pendency of the appeal, unless otherwise directed by this Office,” read the order.

The DOJ was given 10 days from receipt of the Palace order to forward the complete records of the case, together with the summary of proceeding. The DOJ was also given an opportunity to comment on the appeal of the camp of Romero.

Romero and his two co-respondents, meanwhile, were given 30 days from the filing of their notice to submit their appeal memorandum in three copies.

Under Section 9 of Administrative Order No. 22, the Office of the President is given the authority to direct or stay the execution of a decision, resolution, or order “appealed from such terms and conditions as it may deem just and reasonable.”

Romero and his two co-respondents were accused of qualified theft over the issuance in 2007 and 2008 of eight checks amounting to P17.9 million to Romero, Jeremillo, and Galvez.

The three have claimed the checks were issued either for corporate expenses or as payment for the advances Romero made in favor of HCPTI, where he is the president and chief executive officer.

Three of the checks were issued to Romero, while five were issued to the other two respondents, allegedly issued upon instruction and approval of Romero.

In affirming the indictment of the three, the DOJ had said that if the checks were issued for legitimate corporate expenses, they should have been issued directly to the persons or entities who are the creditors of HCPTI.

The DOJ stressed that the funds taken did not belong to the respondents but to HCPTI, which was not solely owned by the respondents, based on the company’s 2007 and 2008 General Information Sheets.

No board resolution was also presented to authorize the corporate acts in question, the DOJ said. —NB, GMA News