Lacson: Background Check on ‘Totally Surprise Witness’ Guteza Needed

A full record check and background investigation (RCBI) on “surprise witness” Orly Regala Guteza will be needed due to the gravity of his testimony at Thursday’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Senate President Pro Tempore and Committee Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Friday.

Lacson noted that Guteza, who claims to be a former Marine and ex-security consultant of Rep. Elizaldy Co, was presented before the committee Thursday without even the courtesy of notice.

Further complicating matters was that the lawyer whose signature and notarial details appeared in Guteza’s affidavit denied notarizing or preparing the document.

“Without the courtesy of notice even to the committee chairman, a totally surprise witness in yesterday’s Blue Ribbon hearing, a complete record check and background investigation on Orly Regala Guteza is in order owing to the gravity and seriousness of his testimony yesterday,” Lacson said in a post on X.

In Filipino: Lacson: Kailangan ang Background Check sa ‘Totally Surprise Witness’ na si Guteza

During Thursday’s hearing, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta presented Guteza to the hearing. Marcoleta said he was referred to him by ex-Rep. Michael Defensor.

Guteza claimed in his testimony that he delivered suitcases of cash, which he said was codenamed “basura (trash)”, to the homes of Co and former Speaker Martin Romualdez. Romualdez denied the allegations.

Later, lawyer Petchie Rose Espera denied notarizing, signing or participating in the preparation of Guteza’s affidavit, saying the signature and notarial details attributed to her were “falsified and unauthorized.”

Meanwhile, Lacson sees no issue for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to have Co appear in its investigation into the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects.

Lacson said Co may choose to voluntarily appear, adding that inter-parliamentary courtesy is not accorded to individual members of the House but to the institution that those members represent.

“(The inter-parliamentary courtesy) tradition is not accorded not to individual members of either house, it is accorded to the institution,” he said.

When asked during Thursday’s hearing if they can invite Co when he gets back to the country, Lacson maintained that “there is no issue there.” He also assured that Sunwest and former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson would be invited to the next hearing.

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Lacson: Kailangan ang Background Check sa ‘Totally Surprise Witness’ na si Guteza

Kailangang isailalim sa kumpletong record check at background investigation (RCBI) ang “surprise witness” na si Orly Regala Guteza dahil sa bigat ng kanyang testimonya sa pagdinig ng Senate Blue Ribbon Committee nitong Huwebes, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore at Blue Ribbon Chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Biyernes.

Ipinunto ni Lacson na si Guteza, na nagsasabing dati siyang Marine at security consultant ni Rep. Elizaldy Co, ay iniharap sa komite nitong Huwebes nang walang abiso o paunang pabatid.

Lalong lumala ang usapin nang sabihin ng abogadong ang pangalan, pirma at notarial details ay nakasaad sa sinumpaang salaysay ni Guteza na hindi siya nag-notaryo, lumagda, o tumulong sa paghahanda ng dokumento.

“Without the courtesy of notice even to the committee chairman, a totally surprise witness in yesterday’s Blue Ribbon hearing, a complete record check and background investigation on Orly Regala Guteza is in order owing to the gravity and seriousness of his testimony yesterday,” ani Lacson sa isang post sa X.

Iniharap ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta si Guteza sa pagdinig nitong Huwebes at sinabi niyang ipinakilala ito sa kanya ni dating Rep. Michael Defensor.

Sa kanyang testimonya, sinabi ni Guteza na nagdala siya ng mga maleta ng pera na tinawag umanong “basura” sa mga bahay nina Co at dating Speaker Martin Romualdez. Itinanggi ni Romualdez ang mga paratang.

Nguni’t itinanggi naman ng abogadong si Petchie Rose Espera na siya ay nag-notaryo, lumagda, o lumahok sa paggawa ng affidavit ni Guteza, at idiniing ang pirma at notarial details na iniuugnay sa kanya ay palsipikado at walang awtorisasyon.

Samantala, sinabi ni Lacson na wala siyang nakikitang isyu kung dadalo si Co sa imbestigasyon ng Blue Ribbon Committee hinggil sa korapsyon sa likod ng mga maanomalyang flood control projects.

Giit ni Lacson, maaaring kusang-loob na dumalo si Co, at idinagdag niyang ang inter-parliamentary courtesy ay hindi ibinibigay sa indibidwal na miyembro ng Kamara kundi sa institusyong kanilang kinakatawan.

“(The inter-parliamentary courtesy) tradition is not accorded not to individual members of either house, it is accorded to the institution,” aniya.

Nang tanungin sa pagdinig nitong Huwebes kung maaari bang imbitahin si Co pagbalik niya sa bansa, iginiit ni Lacson na “there is no issue there.” Tiniyak din niyang iimbitahan sina Sunwest at dating Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Singson sa susunod na pagdinig.

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