Chevron files motion to annul in Ecuador

SAN RAMON, Calif., Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Lawyers for Chevron Corp. filed a motion in Ecuadorian courts to annul all rulings made by a judge involved in a $3 million scheme against the company.

Chevron says it has evidence showing a judge involved in a lawsuit against the supermajor, Juan Nunez, was involved in bribes with prosecutors.

"Judge Nunez is biased and has engaged in improper behavior while presiding over this case," said Chevron in its annulment filing.

Its evidence in the case also show representatives allegedly from the Alianza PAIS ruling party in Ecuador seeking $3 million in bribes in exchange for environmental remediation contracts following the verdict.

Chevron further contends that environmental reports filed by Richard Cabrera, a mining engineer with no apparent experience in the oil sector, were invalid. Chevron says Cabrera conducted no water samples, inflated remediation costs and made unsubstantiated cancer claims in an environmental lawsuit against the company in Lago Agrio.

Charles James, executive vice president at Chevron, said he welcomed a decision by the prosecutor general to open a formal investigation into the claims.

"We hope that his investigation will be thorough, independent and transparent, and that he makes his findings public," he said recently.