Press Release
February 1, 2006

Angara rebuffs statement made by PCGG

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today rebuffed the statement made by PCGG Commissioner Camilo Sabio, as reported in the papers today, accusing him and two other senators of being involved in the ill-gotten wealth case of Businessman Eduardo "Danding" Cojuanco or Civil Case No. 0033.

"As a lawyer and PCGG Chairman, Mr. Sabio should have known or should have acquainted himself, at the very least, of the various court decisions on the matter. His statements are highly irresponsible and totally uncalled for," Angara said.

"The truth of the matter is that the Supreme Court, in a decision promulgated in 1996, has ordered to drop, with finality, my inclusion as a party-defendant in the said case," he added.

Angara also noted that "the Sandiganbayan, acting in pursuance of the Supreme Court decision, also has issued three Orders in the following years declaring that I and my partners in ACCRA Law 'may no longer be subject of evidence nor of any writs, orders and decisions' relative to the said case,"

On 30 September 1996, the Supreme Court rendered a decision in GR No. 105938 entitled "Regala, et al. v. the Honorable Sandiganbayan, et al." and in GR No. 108113 entitled "Hayudini v. the Sandiganbayan, et al." ordering, among others, the Sandiganbayan to "exclude petitioners Teodoro D. Regala, Edgardo J. Angara, Avelino V. Cruz, Jose C. Concepcion, Rogelio A. Vinluan, Victor P. Lazatin, Eduardo U. Escueta and Paraja G. Hayudini as parties-defendants in SB Civil Case No. 0033 entitled Republic of the Philippines v. Eduardo Cojuangco, et al."

The Supreme Court has declared that the "PCGG has no valid cause of action against petitioners Egdardo Angara and his partners in the ACCRA Law Office, as they are being prosecuted solely on the basis of activities and services performed by them in the course of their duties as lawyers".

On 16 April 1999, the Sandiganbayan, acting in pursuance of the aforesaid Supreme Court Decision, issued an Order in Civil Case No. 0033 declaring "that Edgardo Angara and his partners in ACCRA LAW may no longer be subject of evidence nor of any writs, orders and decisions relative to the case".

On 1 June 1999, the Sandiganbayan issued another Order in Civil Case No. 0033 declaring that "Edgardo Angara and his partners in ACCRA LAW are deemed to have ceased to have any obligation with regard to this case starting from the fact that they may no longer be required to file answers to the so-called subdivided complaints"

On 24 May 2000, another Order was issued by the Sandiganbayan in Civil Case No. 0033 wherein the Court held that "in order that there be no confusion whatsoever, the Court will acknowledge the inclusion of their names (ACCRA Lawyers) as an oversight and will strike them out manually from the original complaint in the record and hereafter make sure that the names of the ACCRA Lawyers or any representation in their behalf will no longer be made in this and in other related proceedings.

"I hope that Mr. Sabio does some research before making such public statements. That being said, I hope that this matter be put to rest, and I trust this will enlighten the Commissioner," Angara said. 

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