(Eagle News)–Lawyer Larry Gadon on Wednesday, July 24, took offense at remarks there was oppression of the opposition when the Office of the Solicitor General had a role in preparing the affidavit of his client, Peter Joemel Advincula, for the filing of sedition charges against Vice President Leni Robredo and others.
In the first place, Gadon said the OSG was not present when the statements of the man who claimed to be the yellow-hooded character Bikoy in the Ang Totoong Narcolist videos against President Rodrigo Duterte’s family were being taken.
He said the OSG was only “probably consulted” by the acting complainant, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, after the statements were taken.
“It is perfectly normal for any government office, government agency to seek the advice or consult the OSG for correction of any legal matter in line with their work. There is nothing wrong nor sinister with that since the OSG is the lawyer of the government,” Gadon said.
According to Gadon, the remark of Professor Pacifico Agabin was a “gross misconception of the functions of the OSG.”
“To what i know (sic), the OSG gives legal advice and opinion to any government agency without predetermining political affiliation of people involved in an issue brought before the OSG,” Gadon said.
“The acts of OSG in giving advice should not be translated right away into oppresssion of opposition otherwise the OSG will be stifled. This will result to paralysis of their function,” Gadon added.
For Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, regardless of who drafted the complaint-affidavit, what is “of utmost importance is whether or not the complainant PNP-CIDG’s evidence will support its allegations and establish probable cause against all the respondents.”
He said it was for this reason he wants a special panel of state prosecutors to commence the preliminary investigation “immediately.”
“It does not matter who drafted the complaint,” Guevarra said.
Apart from Robredo, facing the charges that also include libel, cyber libel and estafa were Senator Leila de Lima, Antonio Trillanes IV, lawyers Chel Diokno and Romulo Macalintal, and several priests including Robert Reyes, among others.
Advincula was also included as a respondent in the complaint-affidavit. Moira Encina
