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Arriola appeals disqualification from gambling case
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Posted on Nov 29 1999
Lawyer Joseph A. Arriola has appealed before the Supreme Court a decision penned by Superior Court Judge Timothy H. Bellas disqualifying him from defending businessmen Cheung Pin Ying and eight others in an illegal gambling case.
Cheung has pled not guilty to the charge filed by the Attorney General’s Office against him.
Mr. Arriola was barred from representing Mr. Cheung after Judge Bellas ruled that a lawyer who is working as a legal counsel for the government cannot represent a private client who is questioning the decision of that government entity before the court.
He expressed he hope the Supreme Court will hand down its decision immediately, saying his my client has been deprived of the right to speedy trial and appoint a counsel of his own choosing.
Mr. Arriola, who works as Senate legal counsel, is also serving on the Board of Parole, but Judge Bellas did not find any conflict with Mr. Arriola’s board position and his private practice. He is also representing Cheung, a co-plaintiff of former Senate President Juan S. Demapan in the $3 million civil lawsuit alleging illegal arrest and seizure of properties by government authorities.
The AGO had sought Mr. Arriola’s disqualification on grounds he has violated the Government Ethics Act, which prohibits public officials and employees from representing individuals contesting a government entity in a court case.
Mr. Arriola’s client was among the nine persons arrested during a raid conducted by a team from the AGO Investigative Unit at East Ocean. The team also seized gambling paraphernalia and business properties.
