Lawyer apologizes for disrupting Estrada trial

A private lawyer who has been pestering the Sandiganbayan to appoint him one of the counsels de oficio of jailed former President Joseph Estrada, apologized yesterday to the Justices of the anti-graft court special division for disrupting Estrada’s trial.

In a two-page manifestation, lawyer Orlando Ailes asked for forgiveness from Associate Justices Minita Chico-Nazario; chairwoman of the anti-graft court special division; Edilberto Sandoval and Teresita de Castro, members, for disrupting the joint trial of the plunder and illegal use of an alias cases last April 22.

"I sincerely apologize to the court for my outburst (in) last Monday’s hearing arising out of the court’s refusal to let me read to the records the contents of my motion to be appointed counsel de oficio for the former President," Ailes said. – Jose Rodel Clapano