Joker questions prosecution for hiring lawyer with 'vested interest'
Senator Joker Arroyo on Thursday questioned the prosecution team for hiring a lawyer who supposedly has a "vested interest" other than the impeachment case of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
This was after public prosecutor and Akbayan Rep. Kaka Bag-ao admitted to Arroyo before the Senate impeachment court that one of the private prosecutors, Marlon Manuel, was also the lawyer of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA).
"When you hire, when you retain private counsel, perhaps it would be better... that you do not enlist lawyers who have vested interests, who have interests other than prosecuting the case," Arroyo said during the start of the day's trial in the Senate.
Manuel was in charge of arguing the case for Article III of the impeachment complaint which, among others, faults Corona for the alleged flip-flopping of the Supreme Court on the case of the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) against the Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Bag-ao said there should be no conflict of interest because Manuel was counsel for PALEA and not FASAP, which she said was two different organizations.
"We don’t see any conflict in terms of Atty. Manuel being part of the prosecution," she said during the trial.
Arroyo, however, said that Manuel may still gain access to evidence that he may use against PAL.
"You don't see but I see it. There are confidential matters that cannot be disclosed. The fact is that Atty. Manuel's position is hostile to PAL whatever the case," he said.
He likewise said that he was not saying that the prosecution was remiss in its duties in screening private prosecutors.
"Please screen them so there will be no statements or suspicions... Please be careful next time," Arroyo said.
"We are very conscious of that fact. We are very mindful of all of these considerations," answered Bag-ao. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News
This was after public prosecutor and Akbayan Rep. Kaka Bag-ao admitted to Arroyo before the Senate impeachment court that one of the private prosecutors, Marlon Manuel, was also the lawyer of the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA).
"When you hire, when you retain private counsel, perhaps it would be better... that you do not enlist lawyers who have vested interests, who have interests other than prosecuting the case," Arroyo said during the start of the day's trial in the Senate.
Manuel was in charge of arguing the case for Article III of the impeachment complaint which, among others, faults Corona for the alleged flip-flopping of the Supreme Court on the case of the Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) against the Philippine Airlines (PAL).
Bag-ao said there should be no conflict of interest because Manuel was counsel for PALEA and not FASAP, which she said was two different organizations.
"We don’t see any conflict in terms of Atty. Manuel being part of the prosecution," she said during the trial.
Arroyo, however, said that Manuel may still gain access to evidence that he may use against PAL.
"You don't see but I see it. There are confidential matters that cannot be disclosed. The fact is that Atty. Manuel's position is hostile to PAL whatever the case," he said.
He likewise said that he was not saying that the prosecution was remiss in its duties in screening private prosecutors.
"Please screen them so there will be no statements or suspicions... Please be careful next time," Arroyo said.
"We are very conscious of that fact. We are very mindful of all of these considerations," answered Bag-ao. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News
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