Chief Legal Counsel and former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile attends a Senate public hearing, Sept. 21, 2022. Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate PRIB/Dilw
MANILA — Sandiganbayan Third Division Associate Justice Ronald Moreno questioned the prosecution and its witness on using a faxed document as evidence in the graft trial of former senator and now Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.
Parañaque City Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) head Atty. Melanie Malaya was presented by the prosecution and she testified through a prepared judicial affidavit on the business registration of companies in Caloocan City linked to the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.
Malaya was head of the BPLO of Caloocan City in 2011, the time material to the graft cases.
“As a lawyer, you are aware that the facsimile copy has no value, correct?” Moreno asked Malaya.
“Yes, your honor,” Malaya replied.
Malaya said that the Caloocan BPLO should have sent the original copy of the certifications via registered mail to the Commission on Audit as they always do.
Prosecutor Darlene Vivas however told the court that the COA only has the faxed copy.
“Your honor, that is the information relayed to us by the COA custodian,” Vivas said.
“Somebody’s not telling the truth here,” Moreno said.
The prosecution is set to present a COA official in the next hearing.