DOJ urged to let Comelec prosecute Radam

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III urged yesterday the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allow the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to prosecute lawyer Lilian Radam, the principal accused in the electoral sabotage cases he filed after the May 2007 election.

DOJ prosecutors earlier filed a petition to drop Radam from the case and make her a state witness against former Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos despite a Comelec resolution rejecting the idea.

“Too many cooks will spoil the broth,” the senator told The STAR in a telephone interview.

Pimentel, chairman of the Senate committee on electoral reforms, said he respected the resolution of the Comelec and the case must be allowed to proceed up its logical conclusion.

He said the move of assistant state prosecutor Maria Elvira Herrera and assistant city prosecutor Orlando Mariano to seek to drop Radam may complicate the case.

The DOJ prosecutors, however, clarified that they filed the motion in compliance with the requirement of the law mandating the Justice department to file the motion as soon as the accused is admitted into the witness protection program (WPP) of the government.

“The Comelec has nothing to do with our motion, we are just complying with the requirement of the WPP law,” Herrera said.

Pasay Regional Trial Court 117 Judge Eugenio de la Cruz earlier ruled that the Comelec has waived its right to present Radam as witness in bail hearing of the electoral sabotage case filed against Abalos.

The court ordered the prosecution to present their documentary evidence and the petition fpr bail will be submitted for resolution after both parties have submitted their respective comments.

However, Comelec lead prosecutor Esmeralda Ladra filed a motion for reconsideration to allow them more time to present their case in the bail hearings.

Judge De La Cruz has set another hearing on May 4.