PAO chief clarifies report on axed Cebu public attorney

The Public Attorney’s Office on Friday clarified that it was Malacañang and not PAO that ordered the replacement of lawyer Terencia Rivera as regional public attorney in Cebu. In a letter to GMANews.TV, Persida Rueda Acosta said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has replaced Rivera following the latter’s 90-day preventive suspension by the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) due to a grave misconduct case. Acosta made the letter to clarify a news item posted on the GMANews.TV on July 6 wherein the PAO chief was charged with P1.1-million damage suit before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court last week by Rivera for illegal termination. In her petition for mandamus with prayer for writ of preliminary injunction with damages, Rivera asked the court to order Acosta and the officials of PAO’s accounting and disbursing office to pay her P1 million for actual and moral damages and P 150,000 for exemplary damages and attorney’s fees since she was allegedly illegally dropped from the payroll of PAO. Acosta said that President Arroyo replaced Rivera with lawyer Ramon Gomez as regional public attorney in Cebu. She said that prior to Rivera’s 90-day suspension as PAO Regional Public Attorney for 90-days that started June 12, the Department of Justice has already imposed last March 27 a six-month and one day suspension against the lawyer for grave misconduct and violation of Civil Service Rules and Regulations. Records showed that PAO deputy vhief public lawyer Macapangcat Mama sent Rivera through fax a notice of replacement on March 1, telling her that as of February 12, 2007, President Arroyo has appointed lawyer Gomez as regional public attorney as her replacement. Rivera was also informed that Gomez took his oath of office and had already assumed the post. According to Acosta, PAGC ordered the suspension of Rivera based on an anonymous letter-complaint claiming that the latter engaged in the private practice of law and claiming salaries and other benefits without reporting for work. In her petition, Rivera claimed that Acosta’s “hasty act" was “in fact a clever move to dislodge" her from her post as regional public attorney for Region VII. Rivera said the act of Acosta is without any factual and legal basis characterized by evident bad faith, manifest partiality and gross inexcusable negligence in violation of the Constitution and Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. - GMANews.TV