BY HERBERT VEGO
IT shocked me to receive the information that the vice governor of Guimaras, a lawyer by profession, tried to inveigle a widow into patronizing him despite the knowledge that the widow had already engaged the services of another lawyer. It only takes common sense to know that it’s unethical.
A widow named Dessie Gallego could not hide her irritation when Atty. Vicente de Asis, who is also the vice governor of Guimaras, allegedly offered his legal services to her even if she was already represented by another lawyer. Well, if that’s not piracy, then I don’t know what it is.
Ms. Gallego, incidentally, has a pending compensation claim for herself and her minor child in view of the untimely demise of her husband, an overseas seaman. In fact, it is subject of a grievance proceeding before the legal department of the Associated Marine Officers and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP).
Rather than give in to the false assurance of De Asis that he could bring home the bacon if she would revoke her contract with her Manila-based lawyer, Pedro Linsangan, she called up the latter. Walang iwanan, she seemed to say when she told him she had rejected the vice governor’s unsolicited “help.”
In reaction to Asis’ foul maneuver, Linsangan recently wrote him a letter, which partially said:
“Very sadly, in your effort to convince her, you claimed that you can deliver to her the death benefits in two months’ time. You also told Mrs. Gallego that I will only cheat her…
“I do not know you and you do not know me. I am now 75 years old and have been representing seamen for the past 43 years. Your accusation against me is unfair and unjust…You also claimed that you represent Atty. Romulo Valmores. I know Atty. Valmores and I would like to believe he is a friend to me, even if he is a competitor.”
What has Valmores, another Manila-based maritime lawyer, to say?
Valmores, who has been furnished a copy of Linsangan’s letter to De Asis, dissociated himself from the Guimaras vice governor. He wrote Linsangan a letter, excerpts of which read:
“To begin with, let me emphasize that I do not know Ms. Gallego. I have not seen nor talked to her. On the other hand, Vice Governor De Asis was my classmate at the law school and a good friend of mine. However, he is not my partner or representative at my law office.
“I am not in a position to confirm or deny if indeed Vice Governor De Asis made repeated attempts for Ms. Gallego to revoke his contract with you. But knowing the caliber of Vice Governor De Asis, I would entertain doubt if he ever made such attempts. Nonetheless it is for him to clarify your accusations against him.”
This columnist believes that if De Asis were knowledgeable in maritime law, he might have really partnered with Valmores instead of entering politics. If he has won a single maritime case, Ms. Gallego might have sought his counsel and might never have flown to Manila to look for Atty. Linsangan.
Granting without admitting that he is an expert in maritime law, could he have offered his expertise to Ms. Gallego pro-bono?
I personally know Atty. Pedro Linsangan and know for a fact that he does not collect a single centavo from his client – not until claimant is paid a compensation claim by respondent shipping company – after a case is won either at the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) or the regular courts of law. He is at the forefront of an advocacy, the Free Legal Assistance for Seafarers (FLAS).
De Asis, based on his track record, is only good at calling a PENRO head “persona non grata” because the latter would not lick the boots of a congressman with anomalous project.
Incidentally, FLAS hosts the weekly radio program “Tribuna sang Banwa” on Aksyon Radyo-Iloilo every Sunday, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. It is hosted by Neri Camiña, who may be contacted through cellular phone number 09173288742./PN
