By Ferdinand Fabella

The law firm representing Parents Enabling Parents Coalition in its legal battle with Pacific Plans Inc., has quit, citing conflict of interest.

Lawyer Zenaida Ongkiko-Acorda of the Ongkiko Manhit Custodio and Acorda said she belatedly found out that former Asian Spirit chairman Noel Oñate had been their former client.

Oñate now owns the pre-need company after acquiring it from the Yuchengco Group of Companies last December.

Acorda said they are “constrained” to withdraw as counsel for PEP “in order to avoid any conflict of interest or appearance of impropriety.”

She said it was only on Jan. 30 that she learned from a partner that Oñate used to be their client.

Acorda said the Coalition has been apprised of the situation.

“When I and my father, Atty. Mario Ongkiko, accepted your case three years ago, we acted as your advocate to the best of our abilities and embraced your cause as our own personal crusade. This case, I have to admit, was special for both of us and it is both painful to find ourselves in a situation where we will just have to let go,” stated her Feb. 11 letter to the member-parents.

“But the ethics of our profession is clear that, whenever a conflict of interest arises, we will have to stay neutral and withdraw from a case. This mandate is clear and categorical.”

PEP president Philip Piccio confirmed Acorda’s withdrawal to Standard Today.

“We’ve talked, and she said this involves legal ethics so they have to withdraw,” Piccio said, denying rumors of infighting within the coalition.

He reckons other lawyers coming in although sources claim the organization’s new counsel is former Ombudsman prosecutor Evillo Pormento.

“This development has nothing to do with our case. Our fight to have the PPI owners honor their obligations to us plan holders will continue,” Piccio said.

PEP Coalition, the most prominent Pacific Plans plan holders group critical of the former owners of the PPI, has filed on Jan. 30 before the Justice Department syndicated estafa charges against the Yuchengcos, including the firm’s chairman, Alfonso Yuchengco.

The group claimed PPI was not suffering from financial liquidity problems when it filed for rehabilitation on 2005, which the Makati Regional Trial Court approved.

PEP has petitioned the Supreme Court to stop the rehabilitation plan and direct the Pacific Plans to fulfill its obligations as prescribed by the policies that PEP members bought from the company.