A FACEBOOK post has sent former Bogo, Cebu mayor Celestino Martinez III to jail after Sandiganbayan justices confronted him with a photo of himself appearing in public after his lawyer claimed that he is under home isolation due to medical reasons.
Martinez was summoned by the anti-graft court’s Sixth Division on February 22, 2022 for the promulgation of decision in his two graft cases but he moved for a deferment and resetting to a later date, claiming he was under orders from his doctors to stay indoors to avoid interaction with crowds.
He was convicted on both counts and sentenced to a total of 12 to 20 years together with former assistant treasurer Julio Ursonal Jr. They were likewise ordered to indemnify the government in the sum of P20 million.
On the other hand, accountant Cresencio Verdida and treasurer Rhett Minguez were pronounced guilty of one count of graft and meted six years imprisonment.
In his manifestation explaining his non-appearance, Martinez informed the court that he underwent chemotherapy in January as part of his cancer treatment hence is still considered immune-compromised.
He said he had been scheduled for his second dose of COVID-19 vaccine on the same week of the promulgation but kept himself on home isolation to avoid being exposed to contagious diseases.
However, during the hearing on February 28, 2022 which he attended, Associate Justice Karl B. Miranda quizzed Martinez about Facebook posts by another person showing him riding a bike with several other people in the morning of February 5.
Based on the post, the ride covered a distance of 28.42 kilometers.
This after the defendant told the court that photos showing him making public appearances were all taken in 2021 and that his political rivals were behind efforts to discredit him before the court.
“Yes, Your Honor. I joined them Your Honor on this ride, Your Honor. But I did not finish the whole ride, Your Honor. I stopped in the middle, Your Honor,” he said.
In its four-page resolution, the court reminded lawyers and litigants “to observe honesty and maintain respect.”
“To reiterate, a lawyer is, first and foremost, an officer of the court. His duty is not to his client but primarily to the administration of justice. Thus, any means, not honorable, fair and honest, even in the pursuit of his devotion to his client’s cause, is condemnable and unethical,” the Sandiganbayan said.
