GMA appeals to Malaysian lawyers

President Arroyo asked yesterday the two Malaysian lawyers handling the alleged rape case of 13-year-old Filipina deportee "Angelica" to ensure that justice is served without her unnecessarily flying back to Sabah.

The President also authorized the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through outgoing Ambassador to Malaysia Jose Brillantes, to issue the necessary clearance for Malaysian police investigators to visit Manila to facilitate the probe of the case of Angelica, who was allegedly raped by police while in detention in Sabah.

Malacañang said the interview and investigation of the Malaysian police "may include recording of statement and possible formality of lodging a police report" by Angelica here.

Malaysian lawyers Gerald John and Francis Ng Aik Guan received these instructions from Mrs. Arroyo who met them at the Palace.

John and Guan, who arrived on Sept. 13, conferred with the President after briefing Philippine government officials on Malaysian laws and procedures and other possible criminal cases that may be filed by Filipino deportees on their alleged maltreatment by Malaysian police authorities.

A Malacañang statement said the two lawyers, working pro bono or for free, have already interviewed Angelica and potential witnesses.

Meanwhile, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said another batch of 536 undocumented Filipinos in Sabah was expected to arrive this week from a Sabah detention camp.

Philippine Coast Guard and Navy vessels would fetch the Filipinos from Sandakan detention centers.

Soliman said doctors and social workers from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will join Nur Jaafar, presidential adviser on Mindanao affairs, who would accompany the Coast Guard vessel RP San Juan and the Navy’s RP Bacolod which leaves today for Sandakan.

Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said he had received information that three Malaysian police were expected to arrive in Manila to interview Angelica.

Perez said Chief Superintendent Florencio Fianza, Philippine National Police chief of the International Police division, relayed this information to him. Perez said Fianza received the information from his Malaysian counterpart. –With reports from Delon Porcalla, Mayen Jaymalin, Roel Pareño, Reuters