Three days into an administrative hearing to seek “justice” for the late vice governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr., the family has let go of its main lawyer.
In a surprise decision, his daughter Gigi Sanchez-Zaballero yesterday announced that she has terminated the service of her lead counsel Oliveros Kintanar over a “difference in principles” in some aspects of the case.
She didn’t elaborate.
But the parting appeared a friendly one as both faced reporters in an impromptu press conference at Kintanar’s farm in barangay Casili, Mandaue City.
Zaballero said they reached a “mutual agreement” the night before for Kintanar to no longer appear for the family in the ongoing case for usurpation of authority case filed against Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
Zaballero said she still has confidence in Kintanar as a “good lawyer” and would continue to tap his services for ongoing cases in the Commission on Elections and other bodies.
Asked if the termination had something to do with Kintanar’s outburst in the preliminary conference on Wednesday, where he almost challenged Capitol lawyer Rory John Sepulveda to a fistfight over remarks made during the cross examination of the first witness, Ferliza Contratista, Zaballero said no.
She said she was even thankful that Kintanar was trying protect their witness when he got fired up.
Zaballero’s new task is to look for a new lawyer to appear in the marathon hearings of the Department of Interior and Local Government.
She was given three weeks to do so, by the hearing officer, Ranny Spencer Palisoc of the DILG Central office.
Kintanar, who sat next to his client, confirmed that they remained friends.
He said Zaballero had firm opinions about what to do in the ongoing case, which he, on the other hand, disagreed with.
Kintanar wouldn’t elaborate.
Zaballero was supposed to be the next witness to be presented in the DILG hearing.
The Office of the President ordered conducted based on the 2009 complaint of the late vice governor Sanchez, who accused Governor Garcia “harassing” him by “illegally” reducing the budget of the legislative department in 2009, not renewing work contracts of his consultants, and cutting off funding for the monthly “Legislative Gavel” newsletter in favor of her Sugbo magazine.
Sought for comment yesterday , Garcia’s lead counsel, daughter Christina Frasco, said there was no impact on the case with the exit of Kintanar other than the fact that it would “prolong” the process.
She said the Capitol panel did not object to resetting the schedule of the next hearing.
“We feel for the daughter of the complainant. It would be unfair to have the case continue without the complainant having a lawyer.It’s better to reset the date to give them the opportunity to get another counsel,” she said.
Zaballero, meanwhile, said a three-week postponement was not a setback.
“Not in any way. If fact, it will give us ample time to prepare,” she said.
“I was with Atty. Kintanar last night until 11 p.m. We both agreed to mutually terminate the client – lawyer relationship. Walay misunderstandings on both parties,” she said.“He is a good lawyer. Siya ang gisaligan. He was trusted by my father. This has nothing to do with our friendship. I respect him as a lawyer.”
Kintanar, for his part, said he respected his client’s decision although he regretted not being able to “serve” the late vice governor in this way.
“ I just feel that the opportunity for me to continue my services for her father will be jeopardized in the sense that I could no longer appear. At any rate, I can still help the case even if I’m not the counsel,” he said. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus