Defense asks impeachment court to cite House leader in contempt

Majority Leader Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The defense panel on Tuesday petitioned the Senate impeachment court to cite for contempt House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II for allegedly attempting to prevent Navotas Representative Tobias Tiangco from testifying for the defense.

Jose Roy III, a defense lawyer, said Gonzales’ threats of expulsion against Tiangco and other House members who would appear as defense witnesses “created a pause for thought and cause for hesitation” for Tiangco.

“We were pushed to file the motion because (Tiangco) expressed a very strong reaction to the statement or threats of (Gonzales),” the defense lawyer said in an interview.

Roy said that although Gonzales claimed he was offering  advice, Tiangco perceived this as a threat and that the defense was being hampered in its efforts to present its case.

Roy said the defense panel filed the petition to “both protect and vindicate Tiangco as our witness and more importantly to protect the rights of the Chief Justice.”

In a five-page motion, the defense said Gonzales’ statements “were undeniably threats” intended to prevent Tiangco from testifying and block the presentation of defense evidence. It said Gonzales’ action was punishable under Article 150 of the Revised Penal Code.

“The threats against a witness, calculated to discourage him from testifying or intended to instill fear of reprisal or retaliation, derail the proper administration of justice,” read the motion signed by Roy and a fellow counsel, Dennis Manalo.

“By the same token, any efforts to prevent or discourage witnesses from appearing and freely giving testimony in open court amounts to obstructing the performance and conduct of the judicial function,” it added. “It is precisely for this purpose that the contempt power of the court should be exercised.”

“We are still hoping that (the Senate) will afford us every opportunity to present the evidence that we have or help us secure the evidence that we need,” Roy told reporters.

He dared the 188 congressmen who signed the impeachment complaint on Dec. 12, 2011, to appear on the witness stand and controvert Tiangco’s revelations.

“We’ve been saying since Day 1 that we want to hear the side of those who signed the complaint. Where are all the 188 who signed it? Why haven’t they come to testify?” he said.

In an interview, Gonzales criticized Tiangco for insulting the congressmen, some of whom crossed party lines, to hold Corona accountable for alleged wrongdoing. He said the lawmakers were not motivated by pork barrel.

“Any congressman who ascribes sinister motives to this pristine motive is probably one who is uncomfortable with reforms being pursued by the present administration,” Gonzales said. With a report from Cynthia D. Balana