Jamby asks court for subpoena on documents

MANILA, Philippines – The camp of Sen. Jamby Madrigal has asked the court to issue a subpoena for what they believe are pertinent documents that will help the lawmaker prepare for her defense in a falsification case filed against her by a lawyer of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.

Atty. Rachel Pastores of the Public Interest Law Center, counsel for Madrigal, said that it is necessary that a subpoena duces tecum be issued on the following documents: all minutes of NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) meetings on the national broadband deal; all communication signed by then NEDA director general Romulo Neri to the Chinese Ambassador from 2005 to April 2007; all executive agreements signed by the Arroyo administration with the Chinese government from 2005 to April 2007; and other documents that may be relevant to the case.

In line with this, the senator is asking that a subpoena ad testificandum be issued to the NEDA records custodian of the said documents.

In a six-page comment, Madrigal’s lawyers said the Senate, of which their client is a member, made earnest efforts to get copies of the documents but did not succeed.

“Hopefully, in the interest of truth and transparency, this Office (Pasay Prosecutor’s Office) will be able to get the said relevant documents which the Senate failed to obtain,” the comment read.

Jesus Santos, a lawyer of the First Gentleman, earlier filed a falsification case against Madrigal before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office.

In his complaint-affidavit, Santos requested the court to subpoena the questionable letter from Secretary Neri addressed to Chinese Ambassador Li Jinjun which Madrigal presented in one of the Senate hearings on the NBN deal.

The letter from Neri bore the notation “Copy for FG” which the senator claimed referred to the President’s husband.

But Santos claimed that Madrigal altered the original note from “Copy for FGI-PIS” to “Copy for FG” to make it appear that the copy was intended for Mike Arroyo.

The “FGI” reportedly stood for “Florante G. Igtiben” while “PIS” referred to the “Public Investment Staff” of the NEDA.

Igtiben is chief of the Asia Pacific Division of the PIS, which handles all of the projects funded by China.

Santos is challenging Madrigal to finally appear before a preliminary investigation of the case as her presence is necessary should there be clarificatory questions about the charges.

Meantime, despite denials made by Santos, Pastores pointed out that the real complainant in the case is the First Gentleman.