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“Is there such crime as character assassination – or even ‘attempted’ character assassination?”
That’s Atty. Ruy Rondain’s reply when asked about a purported plot by his law firm to do a hatchet job on Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
Rondain told this writer yesterday he is one of four lawyers linked by the NBI to the plot. He said he and partner Atty. Orlando Mendiola have been subpoenaed to the NBI-National Capital Region on Friday.
Rondain declined to identify his two junior associates implicated by the NBI: “Kawawa naman sila, mga bata pa, hindi pa sanay sa ganito.”
“In deference to the NBI” he also would not say what statement to give to investigators. “I will just talk to news reporters afterwards.”
In headlines is news about Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste’s supposed scheme to smear the reputation of political archfoe Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.
It started with the arrest on July 28th by NBI agents of a pimp and five trafficked women in an elite Manila hotel. During investigation the pimp alias “Ken” and one of the women alias “Jen” asked if their arrest had to do with their planned smear job.
NBI Director Melvin Matibag then told the press about the plan of “Ken”, “Jen”, and three of the four arrestees to execute affidavits linking Recto to drugs and illicit trysts in a Makati condo from 2022 to 2025.
Matibag said ex-congressman Jacinto “Jing” Paras met with “Ken” and “Jen” thrice – July 11th, 15th, 26th – to polish the tale.
Paras supposedly told “Ken” and “Jen” that Leviste will pay them P5 million – P1 million each for “Ken”, “Jen”, and the three other women. Another P500,000 is supposedly Paras’s commission, Matibag told Sapol-DWIZ Saturday.
Matibag said four lawyers were present in the July 15th and 26th meetings. In a sworn statement on Aug. 6th “Ken” identified the four lawyers through photographs.
“Ken” swore that the two junior associates brought laptops to take the false testimonies.
The smear job was supposed to have come in series, starting Aug. 2nd or 3rd, Matibag quoted “Ken” and “Jen”.
Matibag said one of the charges against Leviste, Paras, and the four lawyers could be subornation of perjury.
Subornation of perjury is the criminal act of persuading, inducing, or forcing another person to lie under oath. It can be through bribery or coercion.
But to carry weight, subornation of perjury must have been consummated via an actual false testimony.
Leviste and Paras have denied NBI’s allegations. Through their respective lawyers, Karen Danielle Fajardo and Mark Tolentino, they have also asked for specific charges before showing up at NBI-NCR yesterday, Tuesday.
The NBI announced, however, that Leviste flew to Hong Kong Aug. 2nd with no given return date.
Rondain said his associate Fajardo and his lawyer-daughter Gabrielle appeared at the NBI on Leviste’s behalf. He said Leviste engaged their services only this week.
Rondain and Mendiola have prominent – controversial – political clients. Foremost is ex-congressman Zaldy Co, reportedly hiding in Europe from criminal charges related to the P1.7-trillion flood control scam. Also from supposed death threats, since he linked President Bongbong Marcos, son Rep. Sandro Marcos, and ex-Speaker Martin Romualdez to the flood works scandal.
Rondain was also counsel in 2021 of then-Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi in the latter’s controversial transfer of $565-million Chevron shares in Malampaya gas field to then-President Rody Duterte’s campaign contributor Dennis Uy.
Rondain was also counsel in 2006 of then-First Gentleman Mike Arroyo whom 36 journalists sued for P12.5-million damages.
Reports are that Leviste and Paras are targeting five other prominent officials for character assassination: Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla, DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon, DICT Sec. Henry Aguda, and Secretary to the Cabinet Benhur Abalos.
Paras and the Remulla brothers are members of the UP-Diliman fraternity Upsilon Sigma Phi. They joined in 1971, 1979, and 1987, respectively.
Paras’s lawyer is Atty. Mark Tolentino. A Lex Talionis frat brother of Duterte in San Beda Law, Tolentino was Assistant Secretary of Transportation in 2017. Paras and Tolentino could not be reached for comment.
Tolentino was removed in 2018 when linked to a €1.9-billion or $2.1-billion scandal of German payments processing firm Wirecard. The NBI investigated the case.
Matibag said it was “dismissed without prejudice, meaning it can be reopened whenever new evidence so warrants.”
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