Muslim leader denies Zuce raps

A Muslim leader who served as the deputy of ailing former presidential adviser for political affairs Jose Rufino yesterday denounced as "outrageous lies" the allegations made by opposition witness Michaelangelo Zuce that he personally endorsed the appointment of Virgilio Garcillano to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In seeking to clear his name, Datu Ahmad Bayam issued a statement vehemently denying Zuce’s allegations and bared attempts by the opposition to gain his support and convince him to corroborate Zuce’s statements in exchange for an unspecified amount of money.

"Michaelangelo Zuce alleged that I issued a memorandum to Secretary Rufino endorsing the appointment of Attorney Virgilio Garcillano to the post of Comelec commissioner," Bayam said. "I categorically deny that I ever wrote such a memorandum.

"It is not within the ambit of my duties or powers to know the supposed service of Atty. Garcillano, nor do I have the audacity to recommend any person for a position in the Comelec," he said in his statement he read before reporters yesterday at the Richomonde Hotel in Pasig City.

"The signature (Zuce purported) to be mine in the said memorandum is not my signature but a forgery," Bayam said, adding that his passport "shows my true signature, which is visibly different from the signature appearing in that alleged memorandum."

At a press conference in Makati City Monday, Zuce presented an affidavit reputedly signed by Bayam and identified Bayam as the man who finagled Garcillano’s appointment as Comelec commissioner.

While acknowledging that Zuce had indeed worked with him at Malacañang, Bayam said Zuce’s job was mainly clerical in nature.

"His table was behind my table," Bayam said of Zuce, adding that he is now studying the legal aspect of Zuce’s allegations for possible lawsuits that could be filed against his former co-worker.

A former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander, Bayam said he was appointed to his post at Malacañang on Jan. 2, 2002, but added that he quit his post at the Palace to run as an independent congressional candidate in the first district of Maguindanao. He is now the chairman of the Philippine Muslim Solidarity Council (PMSC), a non-government Muslim organization.

"Soon after (Zuce) came out on television with these outrageous lies, I was contacted by persons claiming to be the representatives of (Makati) Mayor Jejomar Binay and (lawyer) Liwayway Vinzons-Chato through cell phone calls and text messages," Bayam said. "They were requesting that I issue a statement to support or corroborate the allegations in the affidavit of Zuce."

These people, he added "offered me remuneration for my statement, saying that they will give anything that I require so long as I cooperate."

"I refused their offer and, in fact, have changed my cell phone contact numbers so they can no longer contact me," he said.

Zuce "is lying," Bayam reiterated, and addressed his next statement directly to the jueteng witness: "Speak the truth in the name of Christian honor, for the honor of Islam and for the honor of the Philippines."

Liable For Perjury

Meanwhile, a congressman said yesterday Zuce may be held liable for perjury in light of allegations made by political consultant Ernesto Paquingan that Zuce had been paid some P20 million for his testimony.

"We cannot take lightly Paquingan’s recent revelations that Zuce was lying for claiming he was involved in special operations for the President and that Zuce was offered as much as P20 million to entice him to testify," Antique Rep. Exequiel Javier said.

"We have to seriously consider these revelations, especially since the opposition tapped Zuce as its star witness in the impeachment case," Javier said, adding that, like Senate jueteng inquiry witness Richard Garcia, Zuce is a "suborned" witness.

"The suborned witness may be prosecuted for perjury," he said, adding that the House justice committee is likely to "consider the testimony of a perjured witness as bereft of credibility."

Ilocos Sur Rep. Salacnib Baterina said Paquian’s allegations "make it appropriate to consider such witnesses as suborned or bribed witnesses."

"If you ask someone to tell the truth, that is not subornment," Baterina said. "But if you ask someone to lie, that is subornment."

Despite this, Baterina assured Zuce of an impartial proceeding before the House justice committee, which will hear the impeachment complaint against the President next week.

"It is germane to bring in these allegations by suborned witnesses (and), at the same time, allow the defense to counter them," he said. "The revelations against these witnesses, however, have affected their credibility."