LACSON WANTS FULL RECORD, BACKGROUND CHECK ON ‘SURPRISE WITNESS’ GUTEZA

A FULL record check and background investigation on “surprise witness” Orly Regala Guteza will be needed due to the gravity of his testimony at Thursday’s Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Senate President Pro Tempore and Committee chairman Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Friday said.

Lacson noted that Guteza, who claims to be a former Marine and ex-security consultant of Ako Bikol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co, was presented before the committee Thursday without even the courtesy of notice.

Further complicating matters was that the lawyer whose signature and notarial details appeared in Guteza’s affidavit denied notarizing or preparing the document.

“Without the courtesy of notice even to the committee chairman, a totally surprise witness in yesterday’s Blue Ribbon hearing, a complete record check and background investigation on Orly Regala Guteza is in order owing to the gravity and seriousness of his testimony yesterday,” Lacson said.

During Thursday’s hearing, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta presented Guteza to the hearing. Marcoleta said he was referred to him by ex-Rep. Michael Defensor.

Guteza claimed in his testimony that he delivered suitcases of cash, which he said was codenamed “basura (trash),” to the homes of Co and former Speaker Martin Romualdez. Romualdez denied the allegations.

Later, lawyer Petchie Rose Espera denied notarizing, signing or participating in the preparation of Guteza’s affidavit, saying the signature and notarial details attributed to her were “falsified and unauthorized.”

Meanwhile, Lacson sees no issue for the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to have Co appear in its investigation into the corruption behind anomalous flood control projects.

Lacson said Co may choose to voluntarily appear, adding that inter-parliamentary courtesy is not accorded to individual members of the House but to the institution that those members represent.

“The inter-parliamentary courtesy tradition is not accorded not to individual members of either house, it is accorded to the institution,” he said.

When asked during Thursday’s hearing if they can invite Co when he gets back to the country, Lacson maintained that “there is no issue there.” He also assured that Sunwest and former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson would be invited to the next hearing.