Dennis Villa-Ignacio beyond 2010 is bad for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

The Special Prosecutor responsible for the successful conviction of Joseph Estrada for the crime of plunder is being pressured and eased out by some quarters. He was also responsible for the prosecution of crime of plunder against then Armed Forces comptroller Major General Carlos F. Garcia and his family.

So why is he being eased out whose constitutional term of office guarantees his stay untill 2010? There were speculations that Special prosecutor like Dennis Villa-Ignacio beyond 2010 is bad for Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because he is too independent minded for comfort.

Dennis Villa-Ignacio was appointed in February of 2003 with a term of 7 years so his tenure ends in February 2010 falling on the presidential election wherein there is a ban on appointments. The replacement upon his retirement will fall on the next president who may not necessarily be friendly or sympathetic to the most unpopular president of the republic. The numerous scandals attributed to Gloria Arroyo may haunt the Garcified presidency and a big disaster if Dennis Villa-Ignacio's tenure is extended that may land GMA in the same cell err boat as Joseph Estrada with no guarantee of automatic pardon.

In contrast the one running the show at the Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez a one time bar flunker according to Manay errr Manoy Ernie Maceda seems to set a record on the number of acquittal than conviction and at times cannot even get a conviction during bad hair days. It makes you wonder if she is saving the conviction to the threat errr Villa-Ignacio for a frivolous suit of Estafa filed by Prosecutor Elvira Chua or just being a POGB Hall of Lame Awardee. The Ombudsman seems to be targeting the wrong people or too busy sabotaging their own such as Dennis Villa-Ignacio, here is the account of ABS-CBN:

The estafa complaint, filed by prosecutor Elvira Chua, stemmed from a fund-raising drive that Villa-Ignacio initiated in 2006 for victims of typhoon Milenyo. The fund-raising drive was meant to help residents of Quezon province, one of the hardest hit by the typhoon. Villa-Ignacio suggested that they finance the construction of a deep well.

During the flag ceremony where Villa-Ignacio announced the fund-drive, Chua declared that she was donating P26,000. The check was received by Villa-Ignacio’s office.

However, because no contractor would be willing to go to Quezon at that time because of impassable roads, Villa-Ignacio decided to give the money to Gawad Kalinga, which was then already involved in providing shelter to the typhoon victims in Quezon. Villa-Ignacio said the complainant was aware of this, as she was present when he announced that Gawad-Kalinga would be the beneficiary.

For some reason, two years after the incident, Chua decided to file an estafa case against Villa-Ignacio. The complainant submitted as part of the documents the receipt from Gawad-Kalinga that the group received the money.

Where’s deceit?

Villa-Ignacio said he could not fathom why the IAB gave due course to the complaint considering the circumstances. He said any lawyer would conclude that the case is dismissible for lack of merit. “Where is the intent to gain there? The basic concept was to help the typhoon victims and it did. There is no element of deceit,” he said.

Most importantly, there was no criminal intent, Villa-Ignacio, a former Makati presiding judge, stressed. “I did not even receive the money. It was received by my office, there was a receipt and official receipt from the GK,” he said.

Villa-Ignacio pointed out that he had “disciplined” Chua in the past for alleged involvement in mishandling a “celebrated” case. She now reports to Gutierrez’s office.

The complaint, he said, “is insulting and revolting. I have never been involved in any anomaly, I have never touched other people’s money,” he said. Villa-Ignacio is former assistant Ombudsman and recipient of the Judicial Excellence Awards given by the Supreme Court.

He said the group violated the procedure of raffling the case, to ensure that it is handled by over-all deputy Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro. Casimiro is perceived to be in the graces of Gutierrez.

He said he received the complaint without the docket that would enable him to file his counter-affidavit. The docket indicates the period within which he should file his counter-affidavit.

Talk about impunity, this is just too much; these people have no shame at all. To think that the money went to Gawad Kalinga a well respected and honorable NGO to be dragged into a case of criminal fraud is not only insulting to Villa-Ignacio but also to Gawad kalinga advocates and their supporters. It is also very insulting to the Filipino people’s intelligence as if this kind of frivolous lawsuit will fly but then again she is probably out to prove Maceda right that she is a bar flunker who is not competent enough to take on the responsibilities as top honcho of the Ombudsman.

How pathetic and lame can the people of Ombudsman get? If they can make a cruel joke on their own special prosecutor with proven integrity is it any wonder why they have more acquittals than conviction?

Meanwhile going back to that secondary Jueteng Lord I quoted at the entry regarding the petition against illegal gambling to indict Rodolfo "Bong" Pineda for the crime of plunder from Toto Gonzalez blog Remembrance of things awry entry Desconocidos a very reliable source has pointed out that it was "Ngo Ngo" (harelip or cleft lip) no not the NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) but someone well known in the Jueteng "High Society" circle.

Adding further that "Ngo Ngo's" principal wife as the reliable source suspect was there maybe more now has political ambitions immersing herself in philanthropic projects to "set the stage." Indeed if things pushes through with "Ngo Ngo's" camp she will give Lilia "Baby" Pineda a run for her Jueteng errr money on who controls the Jueteng Capital of the Philippines. What a pity says my source and I can only empathize with how he feels especially in a semi-feudal society under a patronage type politics the people deserve better than anak ng jueteng politics.

With an Ombudsman that sets the record for acquittals where do these leaders think they are leading the nation? Will the forces of good vanquish evil at least in Pampanga with Gov. Eddie "Among Ed" Panlilio in the forfront when they are far outnumbered by scalawags? We can choose to abandon Among Ed to fight by his lonesome and let the scalawags further bring us down or we can help encourage others to stand for what is right by signing the petition.

The Fight is on and as such we are duty bound as a responsible citizen of a struggling republic to support Special Prosecutor Dennis Villa-Ignacio or we may just kiss the anti-gambling initiative of Among Ed goodbye........ your call folks, unless you want Jueteng politics dictate the future of our nation. Show your support for Dennis Villa-Ignacio, the Ombudsman can be reached at their contact page, click on contact form at the site for the form email.

Related articles:

• Merceditas Gutierrez Impeachment Drama
• The Drama Intensifies at the Philippine Ombudsman
• Merceditas Gutierrez Gains Allies in Tongress Against Dennis Villa-Ignacio

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