Orly Guteza a victim in notarization issue — Marcoleta

Surprise witness Orly Guteza, who linked former House Speaker Martin Romualdez to anomalous flood control projects, is a victim and should not be held accountable for the false signature in the affidavit he gave to the Senate, Senator Rodante Marcoleta said Wednesday.

Marcoleta questioned whether individuals who get their documents notarized are expected to check whether the one notarizing the document is the notarial public.

“Si Guteza ay biktima po rito. Siya po ‘yung nabiktima rito,” he said during his interpellation for the budget of the judiciary. 

(Guteza is a victim here. He is a victim here.)

“Pero siya ngayon ang kakasuhan ng falsification, ng perjury, ang tanging kasalanan niya ay lumabas lamang at nagpasya para tulungan ang estado hanapin kung sino ang utak ng maka walanghiyang nangyari sa ating bansa,” he added.

(But now, he will be charged with falsification, with perjury, and his sole crime is to come out and choose to help the state find the mastermind in the shameless happenings in our country.)

Guteza previously claimed that he personally delivered luggage of money to the residences of former lawmaker Zaldy Co and former speaker Martin Romualdez. 

In October, the Manila Regional Trial Court found that the signature on Guteza’s affidavit was not that of the lawyer whose name appeared on the document.

According to Lacson’s office, the Manila RTC executive judge recommended that Guteza and those responsible for presenting his affidavit “undergo preliminary investigation for falsification.”

Marcoleta said that Guteza placed his and his family’s life at risk due to his testimony before the Blue ribbon committee.

Meanwhile, according to Marcoleta, he requested three samples from the Manila executive judge in order to compare the documents and establish that Guteza did not fake the signature.

He then asked the Senate plenary whether the judge committed grave abuse of discretion when she said that she would choose which samples to give him.

Citing the court administration, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, the budget sponsor, said the office of the clerk of court has custody over the notarial documents. 

“Therefore, having custody of these notarial documents, they therefore have the authority and discretion to decide which of these notarial documents, if three were requested, then they have authority to decide which of the three,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan later said that Marcoleta will be allowed to check the notarial book under the supervision of the clerk of court.

“In other words, ilalapag diyan ‘yung mga dokumento, ‘yung notarial book, nandyan si executive judge, nandyan ang inyong staff, nandyan ‘yung clerk of court, at pwe-pwede pong busisiin at inspect itong mga librong ito,” Pangilinan said.

(In other words, the documents will be laid down, the notarial book, the executive judge will be there, your staff, the clerk of court at you can inspect and scrutinize the book.)

Marcoleta said they will check the document on Thursday.

“Sana ‘wag naman itago. Sapagkat ‘pag tinago po nila ay magkakaroon po tayo ng malaking problema,” he said.

(We hope it would not be hidden because if it would be hidden, we will have a big problem.)

Meanwhile, Pangilinan said that the court administrator assured this would not happen. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News