SC suspends ex-Siquijor governor for interfering in case
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has suspended former Siquijor Gov. Orlando Fua Jr. from practicing law for a year for trying to prevent a warrant from being served against his childhood friend, a former barangay chair facing drug charges.
In an 11-page resolution published online on Dec. 19, the high court found Fua guilty of violating the Lawyer’s Oath and Code of Professional Responsibility.
It also warned him that a repetition of the same offense or similar acts would be dealt with more severely.
The case was based on the complaint filed by Reynaldo Valmoria, former intelligence chief of the Siquijor provincial police, against Fua for interfering in the serving of a search warrant issued by a court in 2010.
The subject of the warrant was James Largo, former barangay chair of Tigbawan, Lazi town, and allegedly a notorious drug dealer in the province.
Article continues after this advertisementThe high tribunal noted that in 2013, the Ombudsman had found Fua guilty of grave misconduct over the incident while in 2017, the Sandiganbayan also found him guilty of obstruction of justice, fined him P6,000, and perpetually barred him from holding public office.
“Interference in a legitimate police procedure was certainly not part of his duties as a provincial governor. Nor was it appropriate for him to act as a private lawyer to Largo since he was the incumbent provincial governor at that time,” the high court said.
