Lawyer denies role in 'demolition gang'

MANILA, PHilippines - A lawyer denied yesterday any involvement in the activities of the so-called “demolition gang,” whose members are being accused of swindling their victims of millions of pesos on the pretext of demolishing old structures.

Lawyer Vicente Millora admitted knowing one of the suspects, Alfredo Ramos, but said he has nothing to do with Ramos’ alleged crimes.

A former Pangasinan governor and assemblyman and chairman and president of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), Millora said Manila assistant city prosecutor Rosario Ines-Pinzon removed his name from the charge sheet because of the inconsistent answers of complainant Arcadio Lugod.

“Lugod did not even know me. And when asked what my participation was, he said his contract with Mr. Ramos was signed at my office in the evening, and I admitted I was not present,” Millora said. “I had nothing to do with the contract in question which was signed at my office.”

As a KBL chairman in Bataan, Ramos has been visiting Millora’s office in Binondo. Millora said the contract Lugod claimed to have signed was not prepared by him or his law firm.

Ramos, 65, and subcontractors Arnold Ramos, 50, and Romeo Tugano, 54 – were arrested by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) agents for not fulfilling a promise they made to Lugod that they would demolish an old building in exchange for P1 million they had received.

The NCRPO filed large-scale estafa charges against them and three other suspects – engineer Romy Cruz, Vicente Mellora, and engineer Cresencio Milla.

Superintendent Leo Francisco, head of the NCRPO’s Regional Police Intelligence and Operations Unit (RPIOU) said he is still determining whether the suspect Mellora and lawyer Millora are the same person.

However, Francisco insisted that they filed the charges against the suspects based on the complaint of Lugod, who has presented several witnesses.

According to Millora, he is prepared to file charges against the police officers of the NCRPO for including him in their affidavit-complaint “to vindicate my honor, considering my standing in the community as a trial lawyer for the last 50 years and former national president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.” – Non Alquitran