Lawyer denies martial law victims’ extortion claim

MARTIAL LAW. President Ferdinand Marcos meets with military leaders for Martial Law instructions. File photo from the Presidential Museum and Library PH

BACOLOD City – A lawyer belied the claim of several human rights abuse victims during the martial law era in Negros Occidental that he demanded 20 percent of the reparation released to them by the government.

“[M]y good reputation, honor and dignity as a lawyer were maliciously besmirched by persons whom I served to the best of my ability,” said Atty. Rey Gorgonio of the Torrecampo & Gorgonio Law Offices.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Gorgonio stressed that he was not extorting money from the victims.

The victims voluntarily proposed to pay him half of their reparation claims should he render them legal services in acquiring the monetary award, according to Gorgonio, but he only settled for 20 percent “out of deep sympathy.”

The martial law victims are beneficiaries under Republic Act 10368, or the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013.

They are entitled to reparation claims from the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board – an independent and quasi-judicial body tasked to receive, evaluate, process, and investigate applications for claims under the act.

Gorgonio added that from March to September 2014, the victims came to his office and availed themselves of his legal services.

“At that time, these persons have no money to pay for acceptance fees and other legal services,” Gorgonio said.

He stressed that it was an “utter lie” for the victims to claim that they paid him for the notarial of their documents.

Gorgonio also said he even paid for the food, transportation, board and lodging, and other expenses of the victims at the time.

He said he was “made to believe that [the victims] will comply in good faith like my other clients have done.”

However, when the victims received their compensation – amounting to millions – starting May 11 this year, none of them came to Gorgonio’s office.

“Worse, I was informed that Edmundo Diaz and Ma. Fe Tanallo (two of the victims) were collecting fees from other claimants,” Gorgonio said.

This prompted Gorgonio to issue the victims demand letters through his brother-in-law Joeven Torrecampo who he said was a “peace-loving person with no other intention but to serve copy of the demand letters.”

“How can they be threatened?” Gorgonio said.

The victims were given 10 days to comply from receipt of the letters. The period had lapsed but none of the victims fulfilled their legal obligations.

Due to this, Gorgonio filed cases against them before the Hall of Justice in Bacolod City./PN

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