Makati Mayor and United Opposition (UNO) president Jejomar C. Binay today urged lawyers’ groups to seek the disbarment of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez for pre-judging the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.
“Secretary Gonzalez’s statement breaches the norm of ethical conduct. It reaffirms our position that the Department of Justice under the administration of Mrs. Arroyo has been converted into an agency for the selective prosecution of the political opposition,” he said.
The statement of Gonzalez shows that the Arroyo administration is not interested in giving justice to the family of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.
“Their agenda is to harass the opposition in the months leading to the 2010 election,” he said.
For his part, UNO spokesman Amb. Ernesto Maceda slammed Gonzalez for making promises to Cezar Mancao II “that go beyond what is ethically acceptable for the latter to tell the truth.”
Maceda cited Gonzalez’ public statements that he is willing to be the private prosecution counsel of Mancao to ensure that the case will proceed once Gonzalez steps down as justice secretary.
“Under the circumstances the incentives promised by the administration through Gonzalez to Mancao to pin down members of the opposition clearly undermine the entire investigation process and is a clear pre-judgment by the justice secretary himself of the case which is still to be heard by the prosecution panel.”
“Gonzalez’ statements also send a clear signal to the prosecution panel, his subordinates below on what their decision on the case should be even before the investigation is completed.”
“This panel’s findings will also be subject to review by the justice secretary, a predicament which will ensure the persecution of perceived enemies of the administration by Gonzalez himself,” Maceda said.
It might do well for the justice department’s credibility to stop using its resources for persecuting the opposition and instead pursue investigations of the hundreds of unsolved extrajudicial killings and abductions of activists and journalists committed by members of the military and police under the Arroyo administration.
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