MANILA (PNA) – A lawmaker implicated in the Legacy Group mess has threatened to file charges against those who dragged his name into the controversy.

In a statement, Parañaque City Rep. Eduardo Zialcita said his lawyers are now preparing the filing of appropriate chargers against those who implicated him in the Legacy mess.

“Inatasan ko ang aking mga abogado na ihanda ang mga karam-patang kaso laban sa mga nagdudulot sa akin at sa aking pamilya ng ibayong hapis at pag-kalungkot (I have ordered my lawyers to prepare the filing of appropriate charges to those who have caused me and my family such dismay and sadness),” he said.

During the Senate hearing on Monday, Legacy Consolidated Plans Inc. (LCPI) chief operating officer Carolina Hinola alleged that Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) commissioner Jesus Enrique Martinez, along with Zialcita, met with Legacy Group owner Celso delos Angeles in a Japanese Restaurant at Shangri-la Makati on February 14, 2006.

Martinez, who was supposedly a close friend of delos Angeles, allegedly asked the Legacy owner if there were any problems with the firm he (Martinez) could help out with.

Another witness, Legacy chief finance officer Namnama Pasetes-Santos, also told senators during Monday’s hearing that delos Angeles ordered her to disburse P1.8 million to Zialcita as “consultancy fee.”

Zialcita denied these charges, saying he never acted as consultant for the Legacy Group.

“Hindi ako kailanman naging consultant nila o kaya’y kinonsulta nila. Hindi rin ako personal na tumanggap ng tseke o pondo mula sa mga kumpanya na bumubuo sa Legacy (I never acted as consultant, nor did they ever consult me. I also never personally accepted any check or funding from the companies belonging to Legacy),” he said.

Zialcita, however, acknowledged that delos Angeles and his company supported some of his programs such as free coffins, feeding program for poor children, free construction materials and relocation for fire victims, and free tuition.

But he said the donations were for his constituents, and that he never personally benefited from them.

“Let me also state that Mr. delos Angeles and his group are only one among many corporate and individual donors that have supported and continue to support programs for the underprivileged in the first district of Parañaque,” he said.

“I was never asked by Mr. delos Angeles and his group for any favors in return. At the proper time, in the correct forum, I reserve my right to show the detailed records pertaining to these donations,” he added.

Meanwhile, the committee on ethics of the House of Representatives yesterday said Zialcita can consider himself “safe” from investigation by the panel, at least for now.

House ethics committee chair and Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona said House rules prevent the panel from starting an investigation on the Paranaque solon at this time.

“Under our rules, we cannot start an investigation unless any of four instances happen,” he said in a radio interview.

The four instances are: an order of the House of Representatives during plenary session; an order from the House Speaker; a resolution of any member of the House of Representatives referred to the committee; or a complaint from a private citizen that is duly verified.

Only if any of the four conditions are met can the ethics committee begin its investigation against the Parañaque lawmaker, Madrona said.