SC on Marcos, Arroyo: How justices voted on ex-presidents' cases

Over the past several months, the Supreme Court has had to decide on two cases involving former presidents of the Philippines.

The SC en banc voted on both cases, marking the first two major decisions by the tribunal since President Rodrigo Duterte took office in June.

On Tuesday, the high court voted 9-5-1 to allow the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani (LNMB) in Taguig City when they dismissed petitions against the move.

Last July, the SC voted 11-4 to junk a plunder case against former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Interestingly, the nine justices in favor of the Marcos burial also voted to junk the case against Arroyo.

Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes, who swore in Duterte into office, recused himself from the Marcos case after earlier voting to acquit Arroyo. Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, meanwhile, voted for Arroyo's acquittal but was against the Marcos burial.

Four of the five justices who voted against the Marcos burial were appointees of former President Benigno Aquino III: Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Justice Marvic Leonen, Jardeleza, and Justice Alfredo Caguioa, who was appointed last January.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who voted against both Marcos and Arroyo, was appointed by Arroyo.

Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe was the only Aquino appointee who voted for the Marcos burial, while the other eight were Arroyo appointees. —Veronica Pulumbarit/JST, GMA News