Sabio affirms bribery charge

MANILA, Philippines – Suspended Court of Appeals Justice Jose Sabio Jr. affirmed yesterday before the Department of Justice his affidavit accusing businessman Francis de Borja of trying to bribe him with P10 million.

Vicente Chudian, Sabio’s lawyer, also asked the three-member panel to expand the coverage of their investigation to determine the source of the bribe money.

“Who made the offer?” he asked.

Sabio told panel chairman Justice Undersecretary Ernesto Pineda he is ready to pursue the attempted bribery case against De Borja.

“If only to prove that it was the truth,” he said. “That there was an attempt to corrupt the judicial system and the Court of Appeals.”

Sabio said De Borja told him that they have P10 million “ready” just for him to give way to another justice as chairman of the CA’s Special 9th Division.

De Borja was the “emissary” of the Manila Electric Co., he added.

However, Pineda said Meralco executive Manolo Lopez, who was linked to the alleged bribery try, will not be summoned for questioning by the DOJ panel.

“Manolo Lopez is not a party to the case,” he said.

“Manolo Lopez will only be relevant if Francis de Borja will request him to be a defense witness. Otherwise, we are not concerned with Manolo Lopez.”

The panel’s next hearing will be on Friday when Sabio’s daughter, Sylvia Jo Sabio, who works in the office of Chief Justice Reynato Puno, will be questioned by the DOJ panel.

Other members of the investigating panel are Justice Undersecretary Fidel Exconde and Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito Zuño.

Sabio had accused De Borja of offering him P10 million to surrender chairmanship of the CA’s Special 9th Division, which had handled the board election case of Meralco.                – Mike Frialde