Kintanar says he feels 'deplorable' on termination from Sanchez' case

CEBU, Philippines -  Lawyer Oliveros Kintanar yesterday said he feels deplorable on his termination as legal counsel of the late Cebu vice governor Gregorio Sanchez, Jr. in the complaint for usurpation of authority the latter filed before the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) against Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

In a text message to The FREEMAN, Kintanar said it was unfortunate that he was deprived of continuing to appear as counsel of Sanchez as the case is easy to win because he prepared a legal strategy to ensure their victory.

“It is unfortunate that I was deprived to continue appearing in the DILG case the legal strategy I in stored to ensure victory has gone with the wind. Sayang the case is a simple battle of documentary evidence and there was no way nga mapildi,” his text message reads.

Kintanar has been terminated as legal counsel of Grecilda Sanchez-Zaballero, Sanchez’s daughter after a tension burst at the DILG office during a hearing on the administrative case. Zaballero told the DILG hearing officer Ranny Spencer-Palisok on June 9, 2011 that she has terminated the services of Kintanar.

Kintanar and Garcia’s counsel, Rory Jon Sepulveda, had engaged in a heated argument after Sepulveda said Kintanar’s witnesses are allegedly incompetent and ignorant of the law.

The next scheduled marathon hearing of the administrative case of the usurpation of authority Kintanar did not appear in the DILG as counsel for Sanchez.

The hearing for the administrative case is still pending before the DILG.

Sanchez earlier filed the complaint for acts of usurpation against Garcia and other Capitol officials after he was no longer allowed to appoint his consultants and employees.

Meanwhile, Kintanar earlier said he was terminated in DILG case but he will remain as legal counsel of the late vice governor in his other cases. — (FREEMAN)