Philhealth checks: Lawyer of accused wants case open to the media

CEBU, Philippines – The lawyer of credit officer Lourdes Archua, who was charged for alleged gross neglect of duty resulting to the loss of 28 PhilHealth checks issued to the Cebu City Medical Center, wants the proceedings of the case be opened to the media because they doubt the impartiality of the special committee tasked to handle the case.

Lawyer Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu said that a closed-door hearing is disadvantageous to her client because they are wary of the composition of the special panel whose members are mostly from the City Legal Office.

"We have to remember that Dr. Go is being assisted by City Attorney Bernaldez and Bernaldez is assisting the other lawyer. Kabado mi na maalkansi mi sa proceeding. We want to make sure that the recordings of what transpired are accurate so we have to make it open to everyone," she said referring to CCMC chief Dr. Myrna Go and city attorney Joseph Bernaldez.

She said that her client has nothing to hide and in this case, the request to keep the trial confidential must come from them since they are the respondents.

Dalawampu will file a motion on Monday to insist that the coming hearings on September will be opened to media and to everyone who are interested in following the case.

Bernaldez said that they will wait for Archua's petition but it is likely to be rejected for various reasons.

"We found it impossible since we need not to open it to the media to preserve the sanctity of the investigation since an administrative proceeding is impressed by the quality of confidentiality. Second, Archua will enjoy the presumption of innocence. And we do not want to be accused of trial by publicity," Bernaldez said.

But Dalawampu said that the worry to be accused of trial by publicity should come from them and yet they are asking it to be publicized since the issue has been running in the newspapers and television for quite a time already.

She said that they want to make sure that the recordings are accurate because the case must carefully proceed since the life and career of the respondent is at stake.

"Sa ebidensya, wala mi kabalak-an. Wala mi angay itago. I hope Atty. Bernaldez will grant our petition kay gusto lang mi og fair," she said.

When she was asked by the head of the panel lawyer Carlo Jimena to choose whether to run the case through position papers or by trial, Dalawampu chose trial because she said, she wants to confront and cross-examine the witness.

On September 1 Go will stand as a witness to the case. Dalawampu will still push for the inclusion of Mary Grace Lopez and Ben Colong in the persons to be investigated and questioned.

Lopez is the City Treasurer's Office employee who is allegedly in charge of all PhilHealth transactions and the one who actually released the checks to a certain Concha Ruth Adlawan.

Colong got involved when he voluntarily surrendered nine of the 28 lost checks that he rediscounted. - /BRP (THE FREEMAN)