Baligod: Despite severed ties with Luy, pork barrel cases won't be 'damaged' - GMA News

Lawyer Levito Baligod assured the public on Wednesday that the pending "pork barrel" cases would not be adversely affected by his parting ways with his former client, principal whistleblower Benhur Luy.

"Benhur and I are very much in a working relatonship ... Hindi na-damage cases natin," Baligod told a news forum at the Club Filipino in San Juan City where he was invited as a guest speaker.

Baligod also clarified he was not necessarily "left out" by Luy, but admitted there was already an "incongruity in the legal situation."

"What happened (regarding) Benhur Luy is to put things in order," he said.

Baligod said even if he has already been eased out, he maintained that during the time he served as Luy's counsel, their team at least was able to recruit more lawyers who would help the whistleblowers when the complaints reach the Sandiganbayan.

Baligod also stressed that "technically, I lawyered for Benhur in the illegal detention cases," saying he merely "assisted" the whistleblowers in the separate pork barrel complaints.

In a letter he signed before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday, Luy confirmed that he will no longer employ the services of Baligod in the pork scam case.

"I have noticed you were very busy with your other advocacies," Luy stated in the letter. "That is why I have decided to pursue this journey even without you guiding me."

Luy did not give any details about Baligod's other supposed "advocacies."

Not remiss in duties

In an interview on GMA News' 24 Oras Tuesday night, Baligod denied being remiss in attending to the pork barrel scam case.

“Nai-deliver ng isang abogado yung mga legal requirements. Hindi tama yung rason niya [Luy] na napabayaan,” Baligod said.

Baligod also denied allegations that he was trying to control Luy from giving testimony that might implicate Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Gregory Ong in the pork barrel case.

Instead, said Baligod, he advised Luy not to give statements that he could not back with evidence.

Baligod and Luy have shared the media spotlight for several months now, after they exposed anomalies in the use of government funds from lawmakers allegedly masterminded by trader Janet Lim-Napoles, who is currently in prison for the serious illegal detention case filed by Luy. — Mark Merueñas/RSJ, GMA News

Source: Top Stories - Google News