ATOM ARAULLO AT SALVADOR PANELO
HOST and news anchor Atom Araullo took a swipe at Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.
When the Maguindanao massacre verdict was out, he posted Panelo’s statement in 2014 vs 2019 with #MaguindanaoMassacreVerdict as hashtag.
“Look, private lawyers have moral agency too. They can choose who to defend and how to defend them, and will rightly be judged based on their track record. Surely, defending a client is not just about getting paid. More than anything else, lawyers are duty-bound to the truth,” Atom posted.
Naging defense lawyer si Panelo ng mga Ampatuans in 2014. “I believe in their innocence. There’s injustice. Somebody has to take this case,” say ni Panelo.
Five years later, Panelo sang a different tune as he said, “The Palace welcomes as it respects the decision rendered by Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes.”
“The Maguindanao Massacre marks a dark chapter in recent Philippine history that represents merciless disregard for the sacredness of human life, as well as the violent suppression of press freedom. This savage affront to human rights should never have a duplication in this country’s history,” dagdag pa niya.