‘Rule of law’: Kit Belmonte stands by lawyering for Remulla son
MANILA, Philippines — Liberal Party stalwart Kit Belmonte stood pat on his lawyering for the son of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla who was charged for possession of illegal drugs.
“That’s life. That’s democracy — rule of law and innocence until proven guilty. That’s what we should stand for,” Belmonte said Saturday in a text message to Philstar.com.
Belmonte, LP vice-chairperson and Angat Buhay board member, was asked about concerns raised by some social media users over his lawyering for Juanito Jose Remulla III as they pointed out some contradictions in his defense of the justice secretary’s 38-year-old son.
One Twitter user pointed out that Belmonte campaigned for former Vice President Leni Robredo, whose supporters in the Remulla’s bailiwick Cavite were red-tagged and accused of receiving bribes to attend rallies in the province by the justice secretary himself, who was then a ranking member of the House of Representatives.
The older Remulla and his clan actively supported the presidential bid of Robredo’s archrival, now President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
But former officials of the administration of the late President Benigno Aquino III also came to Belmonte’s defense.
“Atty. Kit Belmonte was a lawyer even before he became a rockstar in the campaign of FVP Leni,” former deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on Twitter partly in Filipino. “Everyone is entitled to good legal representation, and I would not begrudge him for taking on a high profile case.”
Abogado po si @AttyKitBelmonte bago pa naging rockstar ng kampanya ni FVP Leni. Everyone is entitled to good legal representation, and I would not begrudge him for taking on a high profile case. https://t.co/UUKOqSm3uZ
— Abi Valte (@Abi_Valte) November 5, 2022
Presidential communications undersecretary Manuel Quezon III said he is “glad” that Belmonte took on the case of the younger Remulla.
“It has nothing to do with feeling one way or another if Remulla Jr. is guilty or not. Kit is doing his duty as a lawyer and the right to a good defense has nothing to do with public feelings: prejudging is dangerous,” Quezon said, attaching a portion of the Bill of Rights that guarantees due process.
I'm glad .@AttyKitBelmonte took the case of Remulla's son, and it has nothing to do with feeling one way or another if Remulla Jr. is guilty or not. Kit is doing his duty as a lawyer and the right to a good defense has nothing to do with public feelings: prejudging is dangerous. pic.twitter.com/6HrlteG2nC
— Manuel L. Quezon III (@mlq3) November 5, 2022
News of Belmonte’s involvement in the younger Remulla’s case surfaced Friday, when the former lawmaker was quoted in news reports as saying that the justice secretary’s son has pleaded not guilty to charges of illegal possession of drugs.
Remulla III was arrested October 11 after he received a package that contained nearly 900 grams of what authorities said was high-grade marijuana valued at P1.3 million.
He is facing a separate charge before the Pasay City prosecutor’s office for importation of prohibited narcotics.
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