Abalos asked to explain why he should not be cited in contempt

Former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines — Judge Jesus Mupas of the Pasay regional trial court ordered former Commission on Elections Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. and his lawyers to show why they should not be cited in contempt for accusing the judge in open court of sending emissaries to extort millions of pesos from Abalos.

Abalos testified at Friday’s bail hearing at the Pasay RTC’s Branch 112 trying electoral sabotage charges against him that emissaries allegedly sent by Mupas had tried to extort P100 million and  P30 million from him on separate occasions in exchange for favorable rulings on his motions.  He asked that the judge inhibit himself from the case.

Friday’s hearing was intended to resolve the motions filed by Abalos asking that he be allowed to post bail and for him to be held under house arrest instead of a regular jail.

Abalos, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and a couple of other people, have been charged separately with electoral sabotage, a no-bail offense, for allegedly rigging the results of the 2007 senatorial elections.

Mupas expressed shock over the allegations of Abalos’ camp and said that the grounds cited for his inhibition were malicious.

The allegation that he had sent emissaries to extort P100 million and  P30 million on separate occasions from Abalos cast aspersions on the court, Mupas said.

He denied a motion for reconsideration raised by Abalos’ lawyer Brigido Dulay, prompting Abalos to yell, “What kind of justice can I expect from this court?”

Originally posted: 11:07 am | Friday, December 16th, 2011