The Court of Appeals warned the two Chief Justices Renato Corona and Lauro Vizconde regarding the purported P50 million “lobby money” offered to magistrates securing the acquittal of Hubert Webb.
In an affidavit dated January 27, 2001, Vizconde himself admitted but did not point out whether appellate Justice Jose Mendoza had mentioned any person behind the purported lobby.
There were many unanswered calls and text m(–foul word(s) removed–)ages to the father of Webb, former Senator Freddie Webb.
Ferdinand Topacio the lawyer of Vizconde distributed copies of affidavit during the press conference Tuesday held in Quezon City.
Somewhere in the bottom of the first page of affidavit, said Vizconde “sometime in 2006,” an audience was granted by Justice Jose Mendoza in the letter’s chambers.
He said, he was with Japar Dimaampao (–foul word(s) removed–)ociate Justice of the Court of Appeals and Persida Rueda-Acosta Chief Public Attorney at the time, and then Justice Lucas Bersamin of Court of Appeals was also present.
Part of affidavit reads: “Justice Mendoza, while talking about the condition of the case, and the possible resolution within the timeframe, what made surprised was Justice Mendoza told that “May lumalakad nga nitong kaso” ‘Somebody’s lobbying the case’ and there was heard of 50-million pesos as “lobby money” offered for favorable decision of acquittal.”
High court’s Spokesperson Midas Marquez said Tuesday, Bersamin, Mendoza and Dimaampao denied the meeting with Vizconde together with his (–foul word(s) removed–)ociates in 2006.
Vizconde did not mention if Mendoza named someone behind the purported lobby.
Both justices of the Supreme Court Mendoza and Bersamin voted to acquit Hubert Webb and other six last December. But Corona voted against the acquittal.
Recently Vizconde was ‘strongly admonished’ by the higher court for his refusal to mention the name of his sources claiming that Justice Antonio Carpio-Senior (–foul word(s) removed–)ociate had lobbied colleagues to vote for acquittal of Webb.
Monday Vizconde said, it was Corona who warned him about Carpio’s alleged lobbying in September 2010.
Through Marquez Corona firmly denied Vizconde’s claimed.
