Gatdula counsel backpedals on INC sentiment vs De Lima

A lawyer representing former National Bureau of Investigation ( NBI) director Magtanggol Gatdula clarified yesterday that he speaks only for himself and his client, not the Iglesia ni Cristo ( INC), when he criticized Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

“I am not authorized to speak for INC,” Abraham Espejo said in a text message to The STAR.

Gatdula and Espejo are members of the INC, which has a membership of about six million nationwide.

Espejo told The STAR Saturday night that the comments he made during Friday’s interview were his personal opinion and not the stand of the INC.

“I was speaking only as a lawyer of Gatdula, and not for the INC,” he said.

In Friday’s interview, Espejo said INC members are saddened by De Lima’s alleged partiality in the cases involving Gatdula. “Is she fighting us? Does she know that she is going against our institution?” he said.

Espejo also said the INC members are angry with De Lima, whom they accused of taking it “personally” against Gatdula. “If she is running for senator, is she aware of what she has been doing to our brother?” he said.

He issued the statements after De Lima announced Thursday that two counts of frustrated murder would be filed against Gatdula and 12 others for the ambush of NBI deputy director Reynaldo Esmeralda and his brother on Feb. 21.

De Lima alleged that Gatdula and his friend, businessman Tyrone Ong, planned the attack on Esmeralda after the NBI deputy director, who handles technical services, stalled the payment of P150 million the NBI reportedly owed Ong.

Ong is allegedly connected with Strategic and Comprehensive Consultants Inc, a firm which was in a joint venture with the Realtime Data Management Service, Inc., the former service provider of the NBI in its clearance certificate project, said De Lima.

Espejo has repeatedly denied Gatdula’s involvement in the ambush.