DOJ team opens Baldago's office amid bomb threats
Members of the Special Weapons and Tactics
(SWAT) unit of the Iloilo City Police Office secure
the Ramon Avanceña Hall of Justice following a
bomb threat received by a staff of Regional
Trial Court Branch 31.
A bomb threat did not hinder the team created by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. from opening the office of Chief City Prosecutor Efrain Baldago at the Ramon Q. Avanceña Hall of Justice yesterday morning.
The team headed by Senior State Prosecutor Leo Dacera conducted a forced inventory of cases and object evidence at Baldago's office after the latter failed to comply with the memorandum issued by Sec. Gonzalez last January 7.
The memorandum directed Baldago to submit an inventory of cases and object evidence in his office within forty eight hours upon receipt of the order.
Dacera was assisted by provincial prosecutor Bernabe Dusaban, assistant regional prosecutor Virgilio Garcia, Iloilo City Police director Senior Supt. Wesley Barayuga, and representatives from the National Bureau of Investigation.
Barangay officials of the barangay where the Hall of Justice stands and members of the media covering the event acted as witnesses.
Also present in the conduct of inventory were representatives from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, retired judge Virgilio Sindico of the People's Graftwatch and several prosecutors.
Baldago was absent during the inventory. It was learned that he has been "on leave" from office since last week.
Before opening the locked door of Baldago's office the panel interviewed the records officer of the City Prosecutor's Office.
Subsequently, Baldago's office was forcibly opened with the aid of a locksmith.
Dacera said they have conducted an inventory of about 40 cases found in Baldago's office. These will be turned over to Acting City Prosecutor Peter Baliao who will now hold office previously occupied by Baldago.
Dacera said the records have been locked at the office "to the prejudice of the public."
Baldago had padlocked his office and has refused to recognize a December 7, 2007 memorandum of Gonzalez re-assigning him either to the Office of the Regional State Prosecutor or the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor pending the finality of a decision of the Office of the President dismissing him for graft. He has subsequently filed for an indefinite leave for health reasons.
Lawyer Plaridel Nava, counsel for Baldago, condemned the forced opening of Baldago's office. He said the move was illegal as the memorandum used as basis of said action was also illegal.
Nava said they will file charges against Gonzalez and those who opened his client's office.
He also said the dismissal case against Baldago is not final and executory in the absence of a final court decision on the case.
Meanwhile, around 10:45 a.m. while everybody was waiting for the start of the inventory inside Baldago's office people panicked because of a bomb threat.
A staff of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 31 reportedly received a call from an unidentified male person threatening that a bomb was planted somewhere inside the Hall of Justice.
But the bomb threat proved to be a hoax as nothing happened the entire day.