Defense lawyer on reprimand: ‘It’s a privilege and honor’

MANILA, Philippines – Defense counsel Jose Roy III said Tuesday that it was a “privilege and honor” to receive the penalty of reprimand alone, sparing the entire defense team for their disclosure alleging there was a P100 million bribe to senators.

“We feel the penalty was more severe than warranted, but we accept, and it is my privilege and my honor to be served that penalty,” Roy told reporters in a press briefing after the day’s proceedings where his penalty was read.

The entire defense team, except lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas, disclosed in a hastily organized press conference last February 12, Sunday, that Malacanang was offering P100 million in “soft projects” to senator-judges to defy a temporary restraining-order issued by the Supreme Court on Chief Justice Renato Corona’s supposed dollar accounts.

Roy was the one who made the “P100 million” statement in the press conference but refused to identify his source when asked by the media and, later on, by the impeachment court.

The impeachment court decided in a caucus to impose a penalty of reprimand to Roy for his refusal to divulge his source.

Roy said it was his honor that he was the only one who would receive the penalty, “I accept and there are no hard feelings.”

“We all feel we were reprimanded,” Roy said. “I thank the impeachment court that [the other defense counsels] were not included in the penalty,” he added.

Roy said that they had no intention of tarnishing the reputation or dignity of the court.

“Our conduct has always been, first and foremost, to protect the interest of the Chief Justice, and always … within the bounds of the standards of the legal profession,” Roy said.

Lawyer Karen Jimeno said in an interview that their intention in the press conference was “not to disrespect any senator-judge but to warn the people trying to interfere [in the proceedings] to stop.”

“When we first explained [to the senate], we assured them that we never intended to harm the reputation or dignity of the impeachment court,” Roy said. “If ever we made a mistake, [it was because] we did not think they might be placed in a bad situation by what we said,” he added.

Roy said that in the event that he would be detained, his fellow colleagues Tranquil Salvador and Rico Paolo Quicho promised they would not leave him.

Roy, however, said that he declined and said “you two don’t have to be with me, I’d prefer Karen [Jimeno].”