ANGELES CITY- Despite his seeking the assistance of the Aquino government for his beleaguered wife Marissa in the US and reports that his own statements of assets and liabilities (SALN) have been anomalous, Sen. Lito Lapid vowed independence as judge in the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Lawyer Filmer Abrajano, Lapid’s chief of staff, told Punto in a text message that his boss has no plans of inhibiting himself from the Senate impeachment trial.
Lapid has authorized Abrajano to speak in his behalf on in matters related to the bulk cash smuggling case lodged against his wife in the US.
“Part of the mandate of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is to assist Philippine nationals who are in need of assistance in whatever form (in foreign countries),” Abrajano said.
Thus, he said, Lapid does not see himself personally indebted to Pres. Aquino, who supports the removal of Corona from the Supreme Court.
DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez was quoted to have said “we are coordinating with them (Lapid’s camp) as to the kind of assistance they would need from us.”
Lapid, known as a loyal ally of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, said earlier he had asked the DFA to help his wife Marissa who is now facing criminal charges in Las Vegas, Nevada after she allegedly tried to smuggle in a total of $50,493 into the US in November last year.
Foreign nationals are allowed a maximum of only $10,000 cash to be brought into the US.
Marissa is now on bail but fitted with an electronic monitoring anklet as an assurance she would comply with the court order to restrict herself to a county in Nevada pending the resolution of her case.
The case has also revived reports that, like allegations now being leveled against Corona in the Senate impeachment trial, Lapid, too, had declared anomalous SALN in the past years since he entered politics.
There are reports that Lapid’s SALN, at one year or another, did not cite a mansion he had built in his hometown in Porac, Pampanga, as well as houses that were supposed to belong to him to justify residency requirements for his plan to run for mayor of Angeles in 2004 and then Makati City in 2007.
Lapid instead ran for the Senate in 2004 reportedly in compliance with the wishes of then Pres. Arroyo and then, in 2007, ran but lost for the Makati mayoral post allegedly also in accordance with the wishes of Arroyo.
Critics said that amid doubts on his own SALN, Lapid should inhibit himself in judging Corona at least on the same issue.
Abrajano did not comment on this, but noted that “the SALN issue against Corona is just one of the eight articles of impeachment where the senators will have to vote on each article, when the proper time comes in accordance with its rules.”
Asked whether the statements he issued in behalf of Lapid reflected the senator’s determination to remain independent as Senate impeachment judge, he replied “definitely yes.”
Meanwhile, Lapid’s spokesperson Alex Marcelino said Marissa is now being represented by lawyer Eliot Krieger of the Jarvis and Krieger Law Office in her case.
