New lawyer for Ligots seeks one-month suspension of trial

MANILA, Philippines - Asking that he be given time to look into the records of the case, a new lawyer representing former military comptroller Jacinto Ligot and his family is asking the Sandiganbayan to cancel all the scheduled hearings of his client’s forfeiture trial for a month.

Lawyer Benjamin Santos, who is replacing Rafael Zialcita as counsel for the defendants, submitted his entry of appearance to the anti-graft court’s fourth division Monday.

He explained that he signed up to represent the Ligots in a plunder charge before the Department of Justice but was later asked also take over the ongoing forfeiture trial at the Sandiganbayan.

“Undersigned succumbed to the respondents’ plea without realizing at first that the records of the instant case had piled up to several volumes, and that in fact, it is the respondent who are the ones already presenting their evidence,” Santos said, referring to the case wherein prosecutors are seeking to recover some P135.2 million in alleged unexplained assets.

Also on trial are Ligot’s wife, Erlinda; their children Paulo, Riza and Miguel; sister Dr. Miguela Ligot-Paragas, and brother-in-law Edgardo Yambao.