Lawyers clarify report on Escaler Europe trip

MANILA, Philippines – Lawyers of businessman Ernest Escaler clarified yesterday a report earlier published in The STAR that “Sandiganbayan has already given permission to their client to fly to Europe for a five-week business trip from May 20 to June 27.”

Lawyers Arnold Corporal, Zorayda Ruth Andam and Josefina Guzman of the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala and Cruz Law Office said there is no truth to the report that the anti-graft court has allowed Escaler to go to Europe since the Sandiganbayan has yet to resolve the separate Motions for Permission to Travel which they filed on behalf of Escaler before the Sandiganbayan’s First and Second Divisions.

“In fact, as to the Motion for Permission to Travel filed with the Second Division of the Sandiganbayan, the Office of the Special Prosecutor was given three (3) working days from 9 May 2008, or until 14 May 2008, within which to file its Comment on the said Motion.  And a hearing was scheduled by the Second Division on 15 May 2008 for the conditional arraignment of Mr. Escaler and to enable him to orally argue his Reply to the Special Prosecutor’s Comment,” the lawyers said in letter sent to The STAR.

“On the other hand, the hearing on the other Motion filed with the First Division of the Sandiganbayan has yet to be held, as it is scheduled for 13 May 2008,” the lawyers added.

The lawyers likewise clarified  that “neither  Escaler, Atty. Andam, nor any of our lawyers were interviewed or consulted by the author of the article, prior to its publication, contrary to what has been stated in the report.

“Thus, neither we, Atty. Andam nor Mr. Escaler could have made such statements or claims and related these to your reporter or representatives.  The statements referred to in the article appear to have been copied verbatim from the Motions we filed before the Sandiganbayan, and thus should be referred to as such in the article,” the lawyers pointed out.

Escaler, along with former Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, his wife Rosario and brother-in-law Ramon Arceo are subjects of a hold departure order issued by two divisions of the Sandiganbayan handling criminal charges against them.

Escaler is co-accused of Perez in a $2-million extortion case filed by former Manila Representative Mark Jimenez.