Ex-Siquijor gov banned from law practice

Nor was it appropriate for him to act as a private lawyer to Largo since he was the incumbent provincial governor at that time

The Supreme Court has barred former Siquijor Governor Orlando Fua Jr. from law practice for one year as a penalty for interfering in the serving of a search warrant against a former barangay chairman on drug charges.

In a resolution made public on 19 December, the High Court ordered the suspension of Fua after allegedly intervening in the serving of a warrant against former Barangay Tigbawan chair James Largo of Lazi town, his childhood friend.

The subject of the warrant was included in the watch list of top drug personalities in the province.

The SC said interference in a legitimate police procedure was certainly not part of his duties as a provincial governor.

“Nor was it appropriate for him to act as a private lawyer to Largo since he was the incumbent provincial governor at that time,” the SC ruled.

Fua was found guilty of having violated the lawyer’s oath and the code of professional responsibility.

An administrative complaint was filed against Fua by then chief of the Provincial Intelligence and Investigation Branch of Siquijor Police Provincial Office, Reynaldo Valmoria, in connection with the implementation in 2010 of a search warrant against Largo.

The warrant had been issued by the Larena, Siquijor Regional Trial Court Branch 46.

It alleged in the complaint that while the warrant was being served at Largo’s residence on 24 November 2010, Fua arrived and obstructed the serving of the warrant.

The complaint averred the former governor “shielded the suspect from arrest by vigorously trying to prevent and restrain the raiding team from taking him (Largo) into custody, insisting that the suspect should be left behind.”

Fua was found guilty in 2013 by the Ombudsman of grave misconduct and ordered his dismissal from the service.