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Drug lord's lawyer questions credibility of new Comelec commissioner

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Niko Baua and RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Newly-appointed Comelec commissioner Aimee Neri. Domingo Pecayo Licuanan, Comelec" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/03/11/newly-appointed-comelec-commissioner-aimee-neri.jpg"/><figcaption>Newly-appointed Comelec commissioner Aimee Neri. <em>Domingo Pecayo Licuanan, Comelec</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED) </strong>-- The lawyer of drug lord Herbert Colanggo on Thursday questioned the credibility of newly-appointed Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Aimee Neri, whom they claimed to be a &quot;fixer&quot; during her stint at the Department of Justice (DOJ).</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/22/new-comelec-execs-vow-independence-integrity">New Comelec execs vow independence, integrity amid concerns</a></li></ul><p>In an interview with ABS-CBN News, lawyer Ferdinand Topacio said Neri&#x27;s appointment might taint the credibility of the poll body.</p><p>&quot;Ibang usapan po ito e. This goes to the character, integrity and depravity of an appointee to a constitutional body which should have the highest degree of credibility and public trust because it is tasked with a very fundamental endeavor,&quot; Topacio said.</p><p>Topacio said his client Colanggo paid Neri, then official of the DOJ, P10 million to &quot;fix&quot; his pending case, for which he was eventually convicted for.</p><p>With the conviction, Topacio said Neri only returned P7 million to Colanggo&#x27;s camp, pocketing the remaining P3 million.</p><p>Herajen Colanggo, the daughter of Herbert, tried to collect the remaining P3 milliion from Neri last year but Neri had her arrested over &quot;extortion.&quot;</p><p>Topacio said the money owed by Neri to the Colanggos is not their priority.</p><p>&quot;Let me make it clear. It is not the issue as to whether the money was returned or not, that is a minor issue in this case. The issue in this case is the act of a public official in claiming to be able to fix cases in the Supreme Court,&quot; he said. </p><p>Topacio explained that he will confer with his client if they will push through in opposing the confirmation of Neri before he Commission on Appointments.</p><p>Neri has maintained her innocence and would answer Topacio&#x27;s accusations at the proper forum, said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez.</p><p>&quot;Comm. Neri of course assures the public that all of these accusations are not substantiated and that ultimately they will be proven false,&quot; Jimenez said.</p><p>Jimenez said Neri will face her detractors should they block her appointment to the poll body.</p><p>&quot;I raised the matter with Comm. Neri herself and she assured me that she was ready to face these charges in the proper forum so I guess we&#x27;ll just have to wait until that happens ultimately.”</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong><br/><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=360029459172719" data-width="auto"> </div><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div>

MANILA (UPDATED) -- The lawyer of drug lord Herbert Colanggo on Thursday questioned the credibility of newly-appointed Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner Aimee Neri, whom they claimed to be a 'fixer' during her stint at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Drug lord's lawyer questions credibility of new Comelec commissioner

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Drug lord's lawyer questions credibility of new Comelec commissioner

Niko Baua and RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 11, 2022 04:14 PM PHT

|

Updated March 13, 2022 12:30 AM PHT

Read More:

Comelec

Commission on Elections

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Aimee Neri

extortion

fixer

drug lord

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