ELECTION-LAWYER Romulo Macalintal has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to look into the circumstances surrounding the notarization of sworn documents submitted as annexes by the Liga ng Mga Barangay sa Pilipinas (LMBP) in their bid to intervene in the petitions seeking to declare as constitutional Republic Act No. 12232 that extended the term of office of the incumbent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials from three to four years.
Macalintal made the request in his nine-page ‘very urgent manifestation of grave concern with motion to clarify authenticity of certain sworn documents in intervenors’ petition for intervention’ filed last Monday before the Court.
The lawyer made the manifestation after learning that the sworn documents were notarized by controversial lawyer Petchie Rose Espera, who earlier denied and disowned the signature and notarization appearing on the affidavit submitted by Orly Regala Guteza during his appearance as witness in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation on the anomalous flood control projects of the government.
In his affidavit, Guteza claimed that he formerly served as security consultant for resigned Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizalde ‘Zaldy’ Co and was tasked to deliver suitcases containing millions of pesos each to residences of Co and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Macalintal noted that the signature now being disowned by Espera is the same signature of the notary public on the various sworn documents submitted by LMBP as part of the petition in intervention.
He pointed out that multiple verifications, certifications of non-forum shopping, and special powers of attorney from barangay officials across different municipalities were all purportedly subscribed and sworn before Espera on a single day, August 18, 2025.
He also noted that Espera’s signature on some of the sworn documents attached to the petition-in-intervention closely resembled the notary public’s signature on Guteza’s affidavit, indicating that it was done by the same person.
‘With due respect, petitioner finds it highly suspect how all these punong barangays in different parts of the Philippines could be gathered to prepare, explain, and adopt various resolutions [which share extremely similar wordings] and verification and certification of non-forum shopping just in one day by the same notary public,’ Macalintal stressed.
‘Hence, in view of the startling revelation, it is the petitioner’s respectful submission that the intervenors and their counsels should be directed to explain the circumstances surrounding the notarization of their aforesaid sworn statements and clarify whether they are personally subscribed and attested their respective documents before Atty. Espera,’ he added.
Macalintal explains that notarization is not a routinary act and that a public document is entitled to ‘full faith and credit,’ which makes the issue of its authenticity a matter of grave concern.
In their petitioner-in-intervention, the LMBP asked the Court to declare as constitutional Republic Act No. 12232 which effectively postponed to November 2, 2026 the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) originally set on December 1, 2025.
The two original petitions to declare as unconstitutional RA 12232 were filed by Macalintal and voters represented by Mystro Yushi P. Fujii et al.
The SC has acted on Macalintal’s petition and required the Senate, the House of Representatives, the Office of the President through the Office of the Executive Secretary, and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to submit their comments.
The comments were required not only on the petition but also on Macalintal’s plea for TRO.