Published March 2, 2021, 3:04 PM
The Sandiganbayan has ordered a lawyer to explain why he should not be sanctioned for manifesting to the court that his client, who was convicted of graft and malversation, was already dead “when the truth is said accused is still very much alive.”
Sandiganbayan
(MANILA BULLETIN)
Ordered to explain was Jose V. Aspiras, lawyer of former Sulu Gov. Yusop Hussin Jikiri, who, together with Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Unit XI Executive Director Oscar Parawan, was sentenced last Nov. 27, 2020 to a total of 16 to 26 years in prison.
During the promulgation of the decision on his case, Jikiri failed to appear. Aspiras explained his client’s absence by manifesting his (Jakiri’s) death. The lawyer was then directed to file Jikiri’s death certificate which would indicate the place and date of his death.