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| Samonte with Lawyer and former Governor Tomas Martin. |
MALOLOS CITY—Ranking
prosecutors in Bulacan are opposing the appointment of a private lawyer as
provincial prosecutor citing lack of experience.
They also stressed that
appointing an outsider would demoralized members of the national prosecution
service of the Department of Justice (DOJ), many of whom has been serving the
government for 20 years or more.
In a one page manifesto,
Bulacan prosecutors asked the President Aquino to give priority to members of
the national prosecution service in the province.
The manifesto was signed
by Rita Gammad, senior deputy provincial prosecutor, Eduardo Dela Cruz, 2nd
assistant provincial prosecutor, Antonio Buan, and Eufracio Marquez, city
prosecutors of the Cities of San Jose Del Monte and Meycauayan.
All four ranking
prosecutors are applicant to post vacated by former Provincial Prosecutor
Alfredo Geronimo who had reached his compulsory retirement last June 7.
The prosecutors insisted
in their manifesto that they have been in the service under the DOJ for more
than 20 years and have devoted their lives to serve the people.
“Our qualifications,
competency, hardwork and dedication cannot be ignored compared to an
applicant/outsider who has no experience whatsoever as a government
prosecutors,” the manifesto said to which they refer to Lawyer Renato Samonte
as an “outsider.”
In an interview, Buan said
that Samonte is a good lawyer, but he expressed doubts over his capability to
handle and lead the national prosecution service in Bulacan.
“He is a very good private practitioner but he
was never a prosecutor,” Buan said noting that that Samonte’s appointment will
cause demoralization among members of the prosecution service.
He said that for years,
many of them are hoping to be promoted to higher position, along with other
lower ranking prosecutors noting that “they too are looking forward for
promotion, but it won’t happen if someone from the outside will be appointed as
out chief.”
Buan also clarified
Samonte’s earlier statements claiming that he has been appointed to the post
vacated by Geronimo’s retirement.
“As far as we are
concerned, he is just a candidate, because we have not seen any formal
appointment,” he said.
Buan added that the
President can stop demoralization among members of the Bulacan prosecution
service by appointing candidates who are experienced.
He insisted that Samonte
has no experience and not a member of the government prosecution service.
A long time lawyer,
Samonte came from Bulakan town and has an extensive law practice in Metro Manila and Central Luzon spanning three
decades.
He finished A.B. Political Science at the Ateneo
de Manila University and graduated from the San Beda College of Law in
1980.
His adept skills as a
trial lawyer was honed and polished during his more than 10 years practice at
the Law office of Dakila F. Castro where he litigated high-profile criminal
cases, one of these was the libel case filed by then President Corazon C.
Aquino.
Samonte is well-remembered
for the brilliancy he displayed during Day 34th and 35th of the impeachment
trial of SC Chief Justice Renato C. Corona where he crossed-examined former
Manila Mayor Lito Atienza.
