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The Sandiganbayan on Monday postponed the arraignment
of former Justice Secretary Hernando “Nani” Perez for a
robbery-extortion case filed against him.
Perez accused the Office of the
Ombudsman that he was being used as a “deodorant” to cover up
for its failure to prosecute other important cases, like the one
involving officials of the Commission on Elections on the automation
of the polls.
He said the only witness and
complainant, former Manila Rep. Mark Jimenez, had withdrawn the case
against him.
“Why did the Ombudsman take
this long to decide my case and violated my right to speedy
trial?” Perez asked.
He said he cannot be charged with
robbery-extortion since he did not use a firearm to extort $2
million from Jimenez. The money allegedly was a bribe for Perez’s
role in sealing a power contract with Argentine firm Impsa.
Yesterday’s hearing before the
anti-graft court’s Second Division headed by Associate Justice
Edilberto Sandoval marked the first public appearance of the former
Justice chief.
His lawyers were able to force
the suspension of the arraignment against him, his wife Rosario,
brother-in-law Ramon Arceo, and business associate Ernest Escaler.
Only Perez, Arceo, and Escaler
appeared before the anti-graft court after the defense gave a
medical certificate showing that Rosario is undergoing chemotherapy
from Stage 2 cancer of the lymph nodes.
The Sandiganbayan decided to
postpone the arraignment since Rosario was not present, and because
the camp of the accused has a pending motion to quash, and
certiorari before the Supreme Court.
Sandoval said they will allow the
suspension of the arraignment, which was reset for May 23, and will
be pursued unless enjoined by the High Court.
He added that Rosario will have
to appear before the court on that date.
No arraignment on other cases
The First Division set the
arraignment of the accused on May 16 for the graft case filed
against them.
The other graft case is now
pending with the Fourth Division headed by Justice Gregory Ong while
the falsification of public documents case went to the Third
Division headed by Justice Francisco Villaruz. Perez is the only
defendant in this case.
-- Jomar Canlas
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