ABS-CBN lawyers reiterated their complaint about the “numerous conflicting orders and resolutions” handed down by Cortez and cited an “undisclosed relationship” between the spouse of Judge Cortez, lawyer Angelita Ortega Cortez, and ABC 5 President Ray Espinosa, as a possible explanation for his rulings. Ms. Cortez and Espinosa worked in the same law firm in the past and where it was alleged that they developed “close professional and personal relationship.”
“Espinosa’s relationship with the spouse of [Judge Cortez] gives rise to the question of whether such relationship was taken advantage of [in the case] given the manner [Judge Cortez] handled the case to favor plaintiff Revillame and prejudice ABS CBN,” said the lawyers of ABS-CBN in their motion.
ABS-CBN lawyers argued that this “hidden fact” that had been recently discovered gives rise to a conflict of interest situation for Judge Cortez and calls on him to inhibit himself from the case.
