NBI-7 looking for lawyer in fake court ruling case

THE lawyer accused of producing a fake court decision on a marriage nullification case has made himself scarce, prompting the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) to ask other lawyers to help find him.

The NBI-7 is asking the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) to help locate local lawyer Luis Diores Jr.

NBI-7 agent Bernard dela Cruz said they will ask the group on what sanctions will be meted on him for producing a bogus court ruling.

A woman who complained that Diores gave her a fake court decision for the nullification of her marriage to a German sought the NBI’s assistance to have Diores disbarred and charged in court.

In a letter, lawyer Steve Siclot, Diores’associate in the law office, said they don’t know where he is.

“Please be informed that Atty. Luis Diores Jr. has ceased reporting and attending his cases with the law office more than a year ago. Since then and up to the present time, his whereabouts are unknown,” Siclot told the NBI-7.

The NBI-7 filed charges of estafa through falsification of public document against Diores before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office for allegedly faking the court decision of Judge Olegario Sarmiento of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 24.

Dela Cruz, the handling NBI investigator, said they are ready to arrest Diores should the charges against him be elevated in court.

The NBI-7 is continuing its investigation of the manufacture of bogus court decisions.

In a separate interview, NBI-7 Assistant Director Lauro Reyes said the public should verify with with the court whether or not their documents are authentic.

Reyes said those with doubts on the authenticity of court documents may send their complaints to the NBI-7.

Former Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) earlier said a woman who used to work as secretary in a law firm confided to him that the preparation of fake court orders was being done for a fee.

Paredes didn’t divulge her identity due to the ongoing inquiry.

Diores was accused by Aileen Bell of coming up with a fake annulment paper allegedly issued by RTC Judge Olegario Sarmiento of Branch 24 in 2008.

Bell, a resident of Mandaue City, wanted to have her marriage to a German national annulled.

She said Diores took the case and charged her P60,000 for it. The lawyer allegedly delivered to her a photocopy of a court decision in just one week.

Two years later, when she went to the court to have the document validated, she found out the decision was fake.

In April 2010, Diores was convicted of estafa by RTC Judge Ester Veloso of Branch 6 for swindling a couple into paying him P1.65 million. He didn’t show up during the promulgation. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol