Filtered By: Topstories
News
SAYS HOUSE ‘SIMPLY DOING ITS JOB’

Alvarez tells Sereno, CA presiding justice: Discipline CA justices handling ‘Ilocos 6’ case


House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday turned the blame back to the three Court of Appeals (CA) justices handling the case of detained Ilocos Norte employees, saying their “recklessness” triggered the “unfortunate situation” between the legislative and the judiciary.

Alvarez made the comment in response to a joint statement from Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Court of Appeals (CA) Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr., who expressed “deep concern” about the planned show cause order of the House committee on good government against the CA Special Fourth Division.

Sereno and Reyes called on the House to “reconsider its order.”

The Speaker, in turn, said it “may be best if they can discipline” the justices of the special division, including its acting presiding justice Stephen Cruz and members, Justices Erwin Sorongon and Nina Antonino-Valenzuela.

He said such should be done “for grave abuse of discretion and abuse of authority,” adding: “Accordingly, it also has the power to rectify the ‘uneasy situation’ its recklessness has created.’”

The CA Special Fourth Division heeded the petition of the six Ilocos Norte employees, who have been in detention in the House since May 29, after they were cited for contempt in the inquiry into the provincial government’s allegedly irregular purchase of P66.45 million worth of vehicles using tobacco funds.

The said division issued a release order for the six employees. The House leadership, however, insists that the CA has no jurisdiction over the matter.

In turn, the CA division started its contempt of court proceedings against Alvarez and House sergeant-at-arms, retired Lt. Gen. Ronald Detabali, issuing a show cause order against them.

Alvarez said he “appreciates” the opinion shared by the top officials of the judiciary, but underscored that the House panel will issue the show cause order because the justices “violated the existing law and established jurisprudence.”

“The CA order impinges on the core of the legislative power that the Constitution has vested upon the House of Representatives which we are duty-bound to protect,” he said.

“It was the action of the CA Special Fourth Division that precipitated the unfortunate situation when it committed grave abuse of discretion tantamount to ignorance of the law in issuing the controversial order. It has not only violated the constitutional power of the HOR, but has overturned jurisprudence long established by the Supreme Court since 1950,” he added.

For his part, House good government committee chair Johnny Pimentel said they will push forward with the issuance of the show cause order. He said such appeal for reconsideration “should be made in writing.” — RSJ/KVD, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT