Lawyer urges Lacierda to resign amid Zaldy exposé

A private prosecutor in the Maguindanao massacre case on Thursday called for the resignation of presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda for allegedly participating in an "orchestrated plan" to exonerate massacre suspect Rizaldy Ampatuan. Lawyer Harry Roque criticized Lacierda for his recent statements saying the Palace was not closing its doors on Zaldy's testimony and will be "assessing" what he has to say about the massacre trial. "Dapat umalis na siya sa trabahong iyan if he cannot conduct himself in a manner befitting a presidential spoeksman," Roque said. In Malacañang, Lacierda ignored Roque's call. "Syempre hindi (ko na siya papatulan). Kung hindi ko siya papatulan, pakikinggan ko pa ba siya," Lacierda said told reporters. President Benigno Aquino III earlier admitted that Zaldy's camp has sent an emissary to express his willingness to turn into a state witness. Roque said he has received information from reliable sources that Lacierda met several times with Zaldy's lawyer Howard Calleja. Roque, however, said he was unaware of the dates when the meetings took place. To prove his criticisms against Lacierda was not an "empty challenge," Roque said he would be formally writing the presidential spokesman a letter asking him to divulge what he (Lacierda) and Calleja talked about in the meetings. Roque said Lacierda should speak out on the basis of the constitutional guarantee of the public to "freedom of information." "Hindi siya puwedeng magtago sa prinsipyo ng executive privilege dahil hindi naman siya [Lacierda] presidente," Roque said. Roque admitted he does not know if Lacierda and Calleja were classmates at the Ateneo Law School, but said the two were "contemporaries." "What I can confirm is that they are friends and schoolmates, baliwala sa akin ang schoolmates ang mas nakakabahala is that they have been friends," Roque said. Roque said several officials in the Aquino administration seemed to be acting as "bridges" to give Zaldy's camp direct access to President Aquino, possibly to strike a deal with the Palace - either to have the suspended ARMM governor exonerated orenter into a plea bargain agreement with the government. — with Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News