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By Jomar
Canlas, Reporter
CHIEF Justice
Reynato Puno is now facing his first major headache in the
judiciary: Corruption and temporary restraining orders (TROs) “for
sale” in the Court of Appeals.
Puno summoned
on Thursday afternoon the 17 chairmen (senior members) of the
appellate court stationed in Manila and expressed his alarm on
reports of corruption.
According to
the court members who talked to The Manila Times on condition of
anonymity, the Chief Justice met justices in two.
Presiding
Justice Ruben Reyes and Justice Conrado Vasquez Jr., the second most
senior in the appellate court, led the first batch.
The third most
senior member, Justice Portia Alino-Hormachuelos, led another
batch.
Only Justice
Rodrigo Cosico was absent in the meeting with Puno.
According to
one source, Puno told the CA justices: “I’ll go straight to the
point. I have called you because of corruption.”
An associate
justice said Puno was very stern during the meetings.
A third
justice described the Puno sermon as direct, candid and
straightforward.
TROs
In the
interview of The Times, Presiding Justice Reyes confirmed a dialogue
with the Chief Justice on the issue of corruption, but he would not
reveal details.
Reyes said he
would meet CA employees on Monday, during the flag ceremony, to
address the problem.
He will also
have a breakfast meeting with the CA justices to discuss the
reported sale of TROs.
“I will ask
the justices to meet their staff and to begin somewhere to fight
corruption here,” Reyes told The Times. “Let the ax fall whoever
gets hurt, in heaven’s name.”
On the issue
of TROs, one source said, the Chief Justice reiterated the
traditional principle that “not to issue a TRO is the general rule
and to issue is the exception.”
Right now, the
source admitted, the trend in the appellate court is “to issue a
TRO is the general rule and not to issue is the exception.”
Puno’s deep
concern stems from his own stint in the CA stint during the Marcos
era (1980), at 40 the youngest ever appointed to the appellate
court.
He was
reappointed to the same post during the administration of President
Corazon Aquino (1986).
President
Fidel Ramos appointed him in 1993 to the Supreme Court.
Suggestions
During the
dialogues, several justices raised suggestions to stem corruption.
Justice
Vasquez asked Puno to name names and confront the justices who are
subjects of corruption complaints to spare the innocent.
Vasquez also
suggested placing the docket or receiving area near the guardhouse
to prevent loiterers from entering the chambers of justices.
Presiding
Justice Reyes wanted to put up a press office inside the CA, to show
transparency. He also said the media could act as the “watchdog”
in the appellate court.
Justice Andres
Reyes also suggested a one-stop room in the CA, an information
office on the status of cases, near the guardhouse, so loiterers do
not come in.
Justice
Remedios Salazar-Fernando proposed strict monitoring in the
receiving of cases, as some reports noted staff accommodating late
pleadings that arrive after 4:30 p.m.
Cebu
problems
The Chief
Justice raised the issue of corruption in Cebu station of the CA,
where reports have cited some justices as having accepted bribes for
favorable rulings.
Puno reported
asked Justice Hormachuelos, a Cebuana and a former judge in Cebu, if
she was aware of the corruption in Cebu.
The lady
justice asked Puno to name the alleged corrupt CA members for
verification purposes.
It was
reported that a young lawyer, who is a relative of a retired
justice, is acting as fixer in the cases in Cebu.
Puno advised
the CA magistrates to set good examples.
“It should
start from you. You must set an example against corruption.
Employees are also involved. During my time there’s already a
syndicate but it should not stop you from stopping it,” Puno told
the CA justices.
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