Lawyers’ outburst almost leads to fistfight in hearing

TWO former consultants of the late vice governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. testified yesterday in the case of usurpation of authority filed against Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

The third day of the marathon hearing on the case investigated by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) was marked by a near-fistfight between male lawyers of opposing sides.

In her testimony, Ferliza Contratista described how Governor Garcia “abruptly cut off” publication of “The Legislative Gavel,” the monthly newsletter of the legislative department whose last issue was in July 2010.

She said printing and binding expenses were “denied” by Garcia although funds were available.

Garcia earlier said the Gavel was just a duplication of the Sugbo newsletter of the office of the governor.

Contrastista, a former information officer, said her work appointment was also not acted on by the governor.

She cited a news report that said her appointment was bypassed because she criticized Garcia in a radio program and called her “evil.”

As information consultant, Contratista said her functions included preparing press releases, review of the agenda for the Provincial Board’s (PB) session and the arrangement of press conferences.

In his cross-examination, Garcia’s counsel and Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda asked Contratista whether she was a casual or a contractual employee.

When she replied “contractual,” Sepulveda referred to a copy of the Local Government Code that delineated the functions of the governor, the vice governor and the PB.

Contratista’s lawyer Oliveros Kintanar interceded for her, saying she wasn’t competent to answer questions on the appointing powers of the executive and legislative department.

Kintanar kept questioning Sepulveda’s cross-examination of Contratista even though the Capitol lawyer was sustained by hearing officer Ranny Spencer Palisoc of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government.

“He does not understand (the meaning of ) ‘sustained,’ Your Honor, maybe you would clarify,” Sepulveda said as he offered his hand to apologize for the remark.

But Kintanar rejected the apology and shouted. a challenge to a fistfight.

Grecylda “Gigi” Sanchez-Zaballero, Sanchez’s daughter, stood up and patted Kintanar’s back to calm him down.

A 15-minute break was called to break up the tension.

Kintanar later said Sepulveda should have observed “proper decorum” and apologized to the hearing officer for his outburst.

The hearing resumed with Sanchez’s other consultant businessman Crisologo Saavedra questioning Garcia’s hiring of consultants allegedly without authority of the Provincial Board.

The hearing resumes today with Zaballero, the vice governor’s daughter, to testify.