Prosecutor inhibits, transfers taipan case to Justice

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=news3_june26_2009

UNDER pressure and “a cloud of doubt,” the Makati City prosecutor handling the grave coercion complaint of tycoon Lucio Tan’s younger brother against him has passed the case on to the Justice Department.

Second Assistant City Prosecutor Edgardo Hirang said he decided to inhibit himself from the case because of claims by Senator Panfilo Lacson that former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez had been transferred to Malacañang for allegedly meddling on behalf of Tan’s brother, Mariano Tanenglian, in his case against the security officers of the Tan-owned Allied Bank.

“This office dispenses justice strictly on the merits of the case. However, a cloud of doubt has been cast,” Hirang said in his order.

Hirang’s decision was approved by City Prosecutor Feliciano Aspi, who in turn forwarded all the documents of the case to the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor at the Justice Department.

The criminal complaint was filed in February by Tanenglian against Allied Bank’s security chief and six guards for allegedly preventing him from entering the bank’s parking area to attend a board meeting on Feb. 4.

Tanenglian, the chief financial officer of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies at the time, complained that security chief Christopher Dobles, head of Allied Bank’s Corporate Security Department, stopped him and his driver, Ladislao Oriendo, and even drew their firearms when he insisted on entering the building. Ferdinand Fabella