NEWS RELEASE
13 March 2006

For Reference: REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540
Tels: 9316268, 9315001 loc7230; Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0917-8226635

DOJ’S FICTIONAL EVIDENCE, SCHEDULE SHUFFLE IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH GMA’S PREJUDGMENT OF BATASAN 5 CASE -MAZA

GABRIELA Women’s Partylist Representative Liza Largoza Maza today asserted her innocence, dismissing the evidences presented by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) as “a complex tissue of ridiculous lies, done without research. They even had to resort to the dirty tactic of of shuffling hearing schedules because they know the evidence they manufactured cannot stand up to the truth.”

According to Maza, the DOJ intends to show that on February 20, the Batasan 5 were in Batangas to meet with coup plotters.

“This is as ridiculous as ridiciulous can be. They can even check out the House’s records on my whereabouts that day. “ Maza said.

The Gabriela Solon said that on February 20, the day of the alleged coup plotters meeting, she had a 10 am meeting in Sulo Hotel with CHED Undersecretary Ocampo and the Faculty and students of the Philippine State College of Aeronautics. At about 2:15pm, she had a meeting with DPWH Engineer Mariano Alquiza, afterwhich she presided over a staff meeting in her office. Records at the House will show she was at the Plenary session and even had guests from the Juvenile Justice Network, the Council for the Welfare of Children, Amnesty International and KNK-Philippines.

Maza also assailed the PNP’s choice of a gay manicurist to play the star witness against them. “It is condemnable that the PNP and the DOJ would choose a gay person to act out a lie in this fascist farce. This is demeaning to the gay community.”

According to Maza, she is not surprised that the Arroyo regime, in its desperation, would resort to manufacturing evidence against them. “Bent on crushing all avenues for redress, they are ready to do anything to silence critics like us so that they can continue to hold on to power. If they can manufacture certificates of canvass and election results, it is no surprise that they can manufacture affidavits and evidences.”

Maza also said the statement of President Arroyo quoted last Saturday as saying that the Batasan 5 “have committed a crime and are committing a continuing crime” as “prejudging case, and in violation of the separation of powers of the executive and the judiciary. Her statement is an order for the courts to bind us. The DOJ has followed suit, complying with Mrs. Arroyo’s not so subtle order by fabricating lies.”#