MANILA, Philippines - An official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said recently they would protest the appointment of new Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza, who is reportedly a lawyer of businessman Eduardo Danding Cojuangco Jr.
Fr. Edu Gariguez, CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (Nassa) executive secretary, told CBCPNews that he is apprehensive over the appointment of Jardeleza as the new solicitor general.
He said since Jardeleza is associated with Cojuangco, he might favor his client in the Hacienda Luisita and coco levy cases.
“We will organize protests to raise our strong opposition against the President appointment of Uncle Danding Cojuangco lawyer,” Gariguez said.
Cojuangco, chairman of San Miguel Corporation, is an uncle of President Aquino.
“We are really dismayed. This appears to be a grand scheme? there a motive in the appointment of Jardeleza,” Gariguez said.
“This is a big slap to the farmers. How can the new solicitor general treat issues fairly when he is the lawyer of the Cojuangcos,” he added.
Jardeleza replaced Jose Anselmo Cadiz who resigned from his post recently.