Lawyer of Ampatuan bribery accuser quits

MANILA, Philippines – The lawyer of Jerramy Joson, who is accusing Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III of bribery, withdrew her services on Tuesday, August 19, calling her client’s allegation “untruthful” and a “totally shameless lie.” 

In an affidavit filed before the Department of Justice, lawyer Freniza Joy Cacatian-Barangan belied the graft complaint Joson filed before the Office of the Ombudsman last week.

“I was so shocked when I learned that the complainant was already using me in telling untruthful statements before the Ombudsman and as well as to the media; by doing this, she is deemed to have severed our attorney-client relationship,” Barangan said in his notice of withdrawal of appearance.

Joson is reported to be the informant of television news reporter and anchor Ces Drilon, providing the latter a notebook with the names of individuals allegedly bribed in the Maguindanao massacre cases. (READ: Gov’t lawyers: Timeline belies Ampatuan payoff claim)

Favorable action

In her complaint before the Ombudsman, Joson alleged that Baraan received from her a substantial sum in exchange for a favorable action on a car theft complaint she lodged before the DOJ. 

But Barangan said she was with Joson the entire afternoon of June 26, 2014, around the time when the latter claimed she handed to Baraan the remaining balance of the bribe amounting to P100,000.

“There was no such visit to the office of Usec Baraan. I have therefore come forward because I cannot allow Ms Jerramy Joson to tarnish the name of Usec Baraan, using me to bolster and prop her big lie,” Barangan’s affidavit read.

“My bounden duty is to uphold the truth, nothing more, nothing less. I am thus accusing Jerramy Joson of perjury for the fabricated lies,” the affidavit further read.

The graft complaint against Baraan was filed amid the running saga accusing Baraan and the DOJ panel of prosecutors handling the Maguindanao massacre cases of bribery. 

Prosecutor corroborates Barangan’s claim

In her complaint before the Ombudsman, Joson said her lawyer Barangan left her alone on June 26 at Baraan’s DOJ office.

“My lawyer did not know that the real purpose of my visit was to deliver the balance of Php100,000 and it is not only to follow up the status of my petition for review case… and after I was intorduced, my lawyer left me to rush to another court for another case she is handling for me,” Joson’s complaint read.

But Barangan said she was with Joson “in or near the office of Prosecutor (Ethel Rea) Suril the whole time until about 6pm that day.”

In a separate affidavit, prosecutor Suril likewise corroborated Barangan’s claim that she was with Joson on the afternoon of June 26.

Suril said she conducted a preliminary investigation hearing on a serious illegal detention complaint filed by Joson, where Barangan was her lawyer. Joson filed the complaint against a police officer. 

Suril even added that Joson and Barangan were still together at 6pm that day.

“We left the office at around 6:00 in the evening. When we went downstairs, we saw complainant (Joson) and Atty Cacatian-Barangan seated outside the WPP (Witness Protection Program) office browsing the counter-affidavit of respondents,” Suril’s affidavit read.

Barangan maintained she and Joson never entered Baraan’s office on June 26. – Rappler.com