One of the Philippines most prominent lawyer, Atty. Raymond Fortun decided to end his ties with controversial Cedric Lee as he announced his resignation as spokesman for the businessman suspect of Vhong Navarro’s mauling that hospitalized the actor.
Watch the video report of Buzz ng Bayan:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaMezGxCI_8
The resignation of Atty. Fortun was obtained by Buzz ng Bayan. In a letter addressed to Cedric Lee, Atty. Fortun cited two reasons why he has decided to quit as spokesman of Cedric Lee.
According to the letter sent by Fortun, his mandate as spokesman was breached. He was quoted as saying “I had been engaged as your spokesman with the objective of being the media’s contact person in all legal as well as factual issues as may be consistent with the thrust of your legal counsels. In this regard, I had faithfully complied with this mandate for the past 12 days, even at peril to my own reputation as a lawyer. Together with this mandate was an agreement that no statements shall by anybody from your group without the consent/approval of your counsels and/or spokesman. This has been breached last night,” he wrote.
Buzz ng Bayan host Boy Abunda speculates that Fortun was probably referring to Cedric Cornejo’s statement that there was no malice in the new CCTV footage where Lee was seen kissing her, explaining further that the gesture was a sign of gratitude because Cedric Lee helped her during the condo incident.
Atty. Fortun’s other reason is the country’s unpreparedness “to temper their emotions in light of your Constitutional rights to due process, to counsel of your choice, to present a valid and lawful defense, and to confront your accusers in the proper legal setting.” Atty. Fortun noted.
Here’s the Full Statement of Atty. Fortun to Cedric Lee:
Dear Cedric,
I had been engaged as your spokesman with the objective of being the media’s contact person in all legal as well as factual issues as may be consistent with the thrust of your legal counsels. In this regard, I had faithfully complied with this mandate for the past 12 days, even at peril to my own reputation as a lawyer.
Together with this mandate was an agreement that no statements shall by anybody from your group without the consent/approval of your counsels and/or spokesman. This has been breached last night.
My personal desire to help you notwithstanding the adverse publicity that you have been receiving is precisely to educate the public on the need to temper their emotions in light of your Constitutional rights to due process, to counsel of your choice, to present a valid and lawful defense, and to confront your accusers in the proper legal setting.
The past several days had made me realize that this country is NOT YET READY to accept these legal concepts, to which I squarely lay the blame on inaccurate reportage and the unprofessional actions of certain law enforcement agencies. That being the case and for the earlier reason mentioned, and in light of my inability to perform the functions for which I was hired, I regret that I must resign as your spokesman effective immediately.
Nonetheless, and in light of the lessons I have learned during my short stint as your spokesman, I will henceforth be devoting some of my time to: (i) ask congressmen to enact legislation so that ALL PERSONS who MAY be facing criminal prosecution be duly informed of their rights (e.g. to remain silent, to the presence of a lawyer etc.) before they are interviewed by TV networks.
People accused of crimes also have rights which need to be protected against media frenzy and unfair pre-judgments; and (ii) ask the Supreme Court to resolve the issues in respect of the Constitutionality of the Anti-Cybercrime Law, in order to address the matter of cyber-libels against Filipino citizens. People do have the right to express their opinions about issues, but such freedom does not grant a license to bully, hurl invectives or otherwise destroy one’s reputation without factual basis.
I wish you all the best in your case, and may justice prevail.
Very truly yours,
Raymond Fortun