Bago Regional Trial Court Judge Frances Guanzon yesterday denied a motion of the barangay captains of Pulupandan to inhibit herself from presiding over a case filed by Asian Alcohol Corp. against them,  for lack of basis.

She also gave their lawyer Salvador Verayo Jr. 72 hours  from receipt of her order to show cause why he should not be cited for contempt for stating that she was on leave on May 18 when she issued a Temporary Retraining Order against the barangay captains’ picketing at AAC.

It was a contemptuous statement and an assault to the integrity of the judge, said Guanzon, in her order, a copy of which was furnished the DAILY STAR by AAC lawyer Roger Reyes.

“Lest he has forgotten, a lawyer must always be a disciple of truth. It is highly reprehensible when they themselves make a travesty of the truth and mangle the ends of justice,” she said.

Guanzon pointed out that on May 18, she attended the regular morning session hearing about 11 cases, citing the lawyers who were present in her court room.

The barangay captains, through Verayo, had asked the judge to inhibit herself from the case for being the first cousin of Benilda Villena Abrasia-Tejada, whom, they alleged, was the legal counsel of one of the corporations of AAC owner Lucio Tan.

Guanzon, in her order, said Tejada has been chief legal counsel of the Development Bank of the Philippines since August 2004.

DBP is a government institution and Tejada is a government employee and, as such, is prohibited from moonlighting, she is not a legal confidant of anybody but DBP, the judge said.

Tejada was formerly chief of litigation of Allied Bank in 2000 after which she transferred to the Philippine National Bank as chief legal counsel from which she resigned in January 2004, the judge pointed out.

“Except for mere conjecture and unfair accusation, not one specific instance can Atty. Verayo cite wherein Atty. Tejada had influence or at the very least, attempted to influence the judge,” Guanzon said in her order.

Tejada has never spoken directly or indirectly with the judge on the matter pending before her court, or attempted to influence her in any manner, Guanzon added.*CPG

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