Desierto accuser guilty of bugging?

Lawyer Ernesto Francisco, the complainant in the impeachment case against Ombudsman Aniano Desierto, may have violated the Anti-Wiretapping Law.

This information is contained in a letter sent by the Averilla Salazar Defensor and Enrile law office to the House committee on justice which is hearing Desierto’s case.

The law firm, which has its offices at the Tektite Towers in Pasig, is representing businessman Luke Roxas who, Francisco has claimed, bribed the Ombudsman with P500,000 in cash.

Roxas has denied giving any money to Desierto. For his part, the Ombudsman has said Roxas did not bribe him.

The law firm’s letter is about a tape recording of a conversation that Francisco and Roxas, who is Francisco’s former client, supposedly had last Oct. 26 in which the latter allegedly confirmed the P500,000 bribe.

The complainant in the Desierto impeachment case played a portion of the tape before the media last Tuesday. He also furnished reporters copies of the transcript of their conversation.

In their letter, Roxas’ lawyers told the justice committee that "we do not know how many tapes or recording — whether these are spliced or not, tampered or not — Attorney Francisco may produce."

"However, one thing is certain. Any tape or recording Attorney Francisco may have produced or will produce was without the knowledge and consent of Mr. Roxas, and therefore a gross violation of the Anti-Wiretapping Law," they said.

"This is aggravated by the fact that this was committed by a lawyer, and against his client," they added.

Francisco has claimed that on Oct. 26, Roxas invited him to a meeting during which they discussed Desierto’s case.

He said his former client directed his secretary, Hillary Evidente, to do a tape recording of their conversation.

Francisco said Mark Averilla and Arthur Defensor Jr., who are Roxas’ lawyers, attended the meeting that took place two days after he filed his impeachment complaint against Desierto.

He did not say why Roxas allegedly had their conversation tape-recorded. – Jess Diaz