Faces of the News: Benhur Luy

No thanks to Jose Calida’s manifestation, he’s suddenly back in the limelight. His lawyer, Raj Mendoza, has expressed surprise at Calida’s move that could discredit Luy and undermine his testimony against Napoles, three former senators and countless other government officials for plunder.  “There is nothing that would trigger the manifestation. We believe that the solicitor general’s comment is a superfluity, as we are not aware of any order from the Court of Appeals requiring the OSG to file the subject manifestation,” he told the Inquirer. Luy’s first counsel, Levito Baligod, wondered why Calida was taking the side of the accused, and not the whistleblower and the state. Luy has reportedly intimated to a former Ombudsman prosecutor that he was “disappointed” with Calida’s manifestation.