Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 11)— The government’s top lawyer denied he had a role in the junking of the ₱1-B civil case against the family of late former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and cronies, saying that he remains loyal to the “Constitution and the rule of law.”
In a statement Friday, Solicitor General Jose Calida slammed the claims of former Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Commissioner Ruben Carranza which linked him to the recent Sandiganbayan ruling that the junked the Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth case due to insufficient evidence.
Solicitor General Jose Calida challenges former PCGG Commissioner Ruben Caranza to a 'legal combat to see who is the better litigator' | @anjocalimario pic.twitter.com/sKBFAh8jOY
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) October 11, 2019
READ: Sandiganbayan junks ₱1-B civil case vs. Marcoses, Tantocos, other cronies
“I categorically deny that I interfered in that case or in any ill-gotten wealth case involving the Marcoses and their cronies,” Calida said, adding that the litigation ended in 2010, before his appointment as solicitor general.
“I have never personally appeared as solicitor general in any case before the Sandiganbayan,” he added.
Calida added the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is working with the PCGG in studying the anti-graft court’s decision to come up with an appropriate action on the case.
The Sandiganbayan Second Division, in a ruling dated September 25 and released Tuesday, dismissed the ₱1.052-billion civil case filed by the PCGG against Marcos, his wife Imelda, former Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. and some of his relatives who allegedly acted as dummies of the Marcoses to illegally acquire and conceal assets and properties.
The court said the case was found to have insufficient evidence because only four witnesses were presented, the counsel failed to show up, and some photocopied evidences were denied for noncompliance. It said that aside from failure to present the original documents, PCGG also repeatedly failed to prove the authenticity of the documents.
Carranza said the court may have failed to consider past evidence against the Marcoses and their cronies. In an interview with ANC, the former PCGG official added there was something “wrong” with Calida’s supposed involvement in the case.
Calida, in response to Carranza, said the former PCGG Commissioner should have provided the OSG with “useful documents and secured witnesses” in connection with the ill-gotten wealth cases.
“It appears that he is all hot air. I challenge him to a legal combat to see who is the better litigator,” Calida said.
