Guingona group to seek speedy action on corrupt judges

Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. and the new nationalist movement Bangon! will ask the Supreme Court to immediately act on the numerous cases against corrupt and abusive judges.

"Bangon! will insist on the periodic performance audit reports of the justice system and the progress of administrative cases against its members," Guingona said.

"This will include the Supreme Court with respect to all other courts including itself, the National Prosecution Service of the DOJ and the Ombudsman," he said.

Guingona said the Supreme Court has failed to act on 739 administrative complaints against judges and justices, and still had 727 complaints to dispose as of December last year.

This year, the Office of the Court Administrator received 558 complaints against lower court judges and 13 against justices of the Court of Appeals and the Sandiganbayan, he added.

Guingona said the administration of justice in the Philippines was "not only slow but seemingly selective — one for the rich and powerful and another for the poor and powerless."

On the other hand, Ariel Felix Ortilla, Bangon! secretary general, said scrutinizing the status of administrative complaints against members of the judiciary will be one of the main programs of the movement.

It would be conducted alongside the campaign against corruption in the executive and legislative branches of government, he added. – Sammy Santos