SPO3 RIcky Sta. Isabel during the Senate hearing on the murder of Korean national Jee Ick Joo on Jan. 26, 2017. (PHOTO BY ALEXIS CORPUZ/INQUIRER
MANILA — Why are public defenders representing a multimillionaire?
Several senators on Thursday pointed out the irony of lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) providing free legal assistance to SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel, a police officer with an estimated P14-million net worth, who has been charged by the state for the kidnaping and murder of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs who led Thursday’s inquiry, questioned why PAO was providing free representation for Sta. Isabel when “he is not an indigent.”
Under its mandate, lawyers from PAO, an agency also under the Department of Justice, shall provide free legal assistance to those who can’t afford private lawyers.
In defense, lawyer Mario Dionisio, chief PAO lawyer who assisted Sta. Isabel in Thursday’s hearing, said it was also part of the agency’s duty to provide legal assistance when given the green light by higher authority.
He said Sta. Isabel’s wife Jinky sought help from PAO. According to Sta. Isabel, Jinky is a graduate of law who has not taken the bar exams,
“PAO is actually authorized… upon directive from government authorities, considering that the wife asked for legal assistance from the DOJ. So that’s why we came into the picture,” Dionisio told the Senate panel.
He said the PAO operations manual allowed such a grant of counsel.
“We are authorized to accept cases provisionally your honor, which is when a person is detained, restrained, and there is an immediate need of legal assistance, filing of any pleadings necessary for the protection of rights,” he said.
But Sen. Leila de Lima, who used to exercise supervisory powers over PAO as Department of Justice secretary, said: “None of the circumstances would justify your appearance.”
She said PAO should “revisit” its mandate.”
“Huwag naman kayo basta-basta magrepresent ng kung sino-sino (You should not be representing just anyone),” she said, making reference to drug convicts who appeared in the House of Representatives inquiry on the drug allegations against her.
Thursday’s Senate hearing found out the disparity between Sta. Isabel’s pay from his assets: P8,000 monthly as a police officer, but a declared net worth of P14 million as of 2015.
Chief Superintendent Roel Obusan, director of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), told the Senate panel that, as of 2015, Sta. Isabel declared assets of P17.328 million, including real and personal properties, and liabilities of P3.02 million. This amounts to a net of just over P14 million.
The figure is slightly less than his declared 2014 net worth of P20 million.
His Statement of Assets and Liabilities also showed Sta. Isabel’s wealth: five houses and lots in Bagombong, Caloocan City; a four-story commercial building in Cubao, Quezon City; three lots; a 2014 Toyota Hilux (the vehicle tagged in the abduction slay); a 2012 Toyota Vios; a 2014 Honda tricycle; and a 2012 Kawasaki motorcycle.
“On other aspects, your honor, which are still under investigation, such as the bank accounts, we have yet to get the documents your honor,” Obusan told Lacson.
Lacson said the CIDG should undertake a complete financial investigation, and said the PNP should exercise a more stringent filtering of police officers assigned to specialized police units, such as Sta. Isabel’s mother unit, the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Group.
“There’s a lot to learn from this bitter lesson. We have to learn from it and move forward. Let’s correct it,” Lacson said.
Under Sen. Grace Poe’s questioning, Sta. Isabel initially gave the senator a run-around before admitting how much he earned per month.
“Your honor, it is my wife who is running our businesses. She graduated from MLQU (Manuel L. Quezon University) cum laude, she is really good,” the policeman said.
To which Poe interjected: “My question is how much your salary is.”
Sta. Isabel then responded: “Bale sagad po ako sa loan, ung niloan sa PNP un po dinadagdag ko sa business… (I have maxed up my loans, and my loans from the PNP I add to fund our business.)”
Again, Poe repeated her question: “No sir. My question is, how much is your salary per month?”
Sta. Isabel then gave a direct answer: “Nasa P8,000 po.”
He later explained that he and his wife ran several businesses: insurance, a Bayad Center (utilities payment center), a Western Union franchise and a Lotto outlet.
He said his wife raised their capital out of her commissions from insurance sales. Sta. Isabel further told Poe that all these were declared in his and his wife’s tax payments.
Still, Poe noted the gulf between Sta. Isabel’s monthly wages and his declared wealth.
“That’s a huge difference between P8,000 and P20 million, even if you consider that it is his wife who’s making money,” she said. SFM