InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- Fugitive retired Major General Jovito Palparan has hired the former lawyer of ex-First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo as one of his legal counsels in the kidnapping case.
Lawyer Jesus Santos confirmed the entry of appearance of his law office before the court in Bulacan to defend the former Army general in his case.
"The Jesus Santos Law Offices was hired to be one of the lawyers of General Jovito Palparan," Santos said in a phone interview.
However, he did not give details when asked how he was hired and why he accepted it.
Santos also said that they have filed a motion for consideration on Wednesday "maintaining that the court has jurisdiction to entertain a motion by General Palparan that even in his absence, the court could take jurisdiction when the accused raised an affirmative relief."
Santos formerly handled some of the libel cases of Arroyo, when his wife, former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was still in Malacanang.
At one time, he also served as Arroyo's spokesman concerning his legal cases.
The government has offered a P1-million bounty for Palparan's capture.
Last month, the Bulacan court issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of University of the Philippines students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno in 2006.
