Atty. Espera denies notarizing fake affidavit presented to Senate

Atty. Petchie Rose Espera clarified that an affidavit presented by "surprise witness" Orly Guteza to the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which claims that the witness personally delivered suitcases of money to former Ako Bicol party-list representative Zaldy Co and former Speaker Martin Romualdez, contains her forged signature and is therefore fabricated.

Espera stated that the document number, page number, and book number indicated on the affidavit do not exist in her notarial records, and that the document stamp and other details are entirely fabricated.

She emphasized that the notarial office mentioned in the hearing is not her office and has never been.

Espera has broken her silence to denounce a pattern of falsification after two documents supposedly notarized by her were presented in separate Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings.

She initially refrained from making public comments out of respect for due process, but after a comprehensive inquiry, the Manila RTC concluded that the affidavit linked to Guteza was falsified.

Guteza remains missing, preventing authorities from verifying the circumstances surrounding the affidavit attributed to him.