MANILA, Philippines—Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Chair Camilo Sabio has decided to cut short his trip to Brazil to be able to testify before a panel looking into the controversy at the Court of Appeals.

PCGG lawyer J. Ermin Miguel Tuesday told the panel composed of retired Supreme Court justices that Sabio would leave Brazil on Aug. 21—the earliest booking that could be made.

Miguel said Sabio would arrive in Manila on the evening of Aug. 22 and would be available to testify on Aug. 23.

Sabio is attending a biodiesel conference in Brazil.

Retired Justice Romeo Callejo Sr. noted that the panel had been given only until Aug. 21 to submit its report. And since the 23rd falls on a Saturday, Sabio may testify only on Aug. 26 at the earliest, he said.

Brothers

Callejo said the panel would probably ask the high court for an extension because it had to come out with a complete report.

The PCGG chair and Court of Appeals Justice Jose Sabio Jr. are brothers.

The panel summoned Camilo Sabio after Jose Sabio disclosed that the former had phoned him to convince him to side with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in its board dispute with Manila Electric Co (Meralco).

Jose Sabio had also earlier disclosed that he was offered P10 million by a Meralco emissary to inhibit himself from the case, to pave the way for another justice to chair the division that would issue the decision.

That decision, which favored Meralco, was issued by another division that did not include Jose Sabio among its members.

‘No one would dare’

Meanwhile, GSIS lawyer Estrella Elamparo, who took the stand at Tuesday’s hearing, denied that the GSIS had asked Camilo Sabio to convince his brother to side with the state pension firm.

“I’m quite confident in saying that none of the officers I know would dare do that,” Elamparo said.

Callejo also asked Elamparo if she was aware that GSIS chair Winston Garcia had issued such an order.

She said it was not the GSIS’ habit to call up people to try to influence them.