PAC to seek Speaker’s ruling on Tancred Tabone’s request

Members of Parliament sitting on the Public Accounts committee are expected to seek the Speaker's ruling after the lawyer of former Enemalta chairman Tancred Tabone has requested her client does not appear before the committee.

This is the second time that Tabone's lawyer, Gianella de Marco, has made such a request.

According to PAC interim chairman Jason Azzopardi, Tabone's lawyer wrote to the committee explaining that, due to the ongoing court case, Tabone could incriminate himself by questions that the members of the PAC might ask.

According to Standing Orders, every person who is asked to appear before the committee must do so. However, the witness is not compelled to answer questions that might incriminate him.

The lawyer's request has been circulated to all members of the PAC with Azzopardi requesting their feedback. The PAC is now expected to ask Speaker Anglu Farrugia - currently abroad - to give a ruling on the matter.

This is the second time that Tabone's lawyer has written to the PAC requesting her client should not appear before the parliamentary committee due to the ongoing court case.

In December, the PAC had agreed to postpone Tabone's sitting as his lawyer had been abroad at the time. The members had however warned him that they would still insist he appears before the PAC as every requested individual had the obligation to do so.

Tabone, 61 of Sliema and former MOBC chief, stands accused of bribery and money laundering in connection with the oil procurement scandal.