Arroyo allies: Stop ‘trial by publicity’ after Reyes’ death

House allies of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo urged their colleagues in Congress to avoid “trial by publicity" during congressional inquiries a day after the suicide of former Defense chief Angelo Reyes who was accused of corruption in a Senate probe. “The death by suicide by former Armed Forces chief of staff Angelo Reyes sends the message to legislators to desist from engaging in trial by publicity," House minority leader Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said in a statement issued on Wednesday. Lagman added that Reyes “possibly could not bear his own and his family’s embarrassment due to repeated allegations and innuendos of wrongdoings" during the Senate probe. A former Cabinet official during the Arroyo administration, Reyes shot himself in the chest near his mother’s grave at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City. Weeks before his suicide, Reyes was accused by former military finance officer Lt. Col. George Rabusa in a Senate blue ribbon committee probe of receiving millions of pesos in send-off money from military funds upon his retirement as Armed Forces chief. Zambales Rep. Milagros Magsaysay meanwhile said lawmakers should let courts determine whether a person is guilty or not of accusations against him or her. “I think the best solution is to bring back law and order in this country. Cases should be filed in their right venues," she said. Lagman likewise said congressmen and senators should make sure that congressional inquiries are indeed in age of legislation and not just a venue for “character assassination." “Let the judicial authorities investigate all of these because after final analysis, these will all go to trial. It is not the function of Congress to do all of these. Even without these investigations, we can legislate," he said. – VVP, GMA News