MANILA, Philippines - Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. yesterday urged Chief Justice Renato Corona to inhibit himself from the case of Hacienda Luisita, owned by the family of president-elect Benigno Aquino III.“This is only a personal opinion and I hope CJ Corona would not take it against me. I’m only expressing the view that probably it’s better to pass it on to another division of the Supreme Court (SC) so that people won’t doubt any decision on the issue,” said Pimentel.
He described the Hacienda Luisita labor case as a “very sensitive issue” which could create further problems between Aquino and Corona.“If Corona decides to pursue the issue, he might be misconstrued over his decisions,” Pimentel said at the Kapihan sa Senado.
Sought for reaction during the oath taking ceremonies of reelectionist Sen. Pia Cayetano and his sister-in-law Lani as the new mayor of Taguig yesterday, Corona refused to comment on Pimentel’s remarks.
“That’s a pending case, please don’t ask me about a pending case,” Corona said.
SC spokesman Midas Marquez said the calls for inhibition are addressed at the High Court once formal petitions are filed. “Inhibitions are addressed (once filed)... he will decide that at an appropriate time whether to recuse himself or not. We do not know,” Marquez said.
He also defended the Chief Justice from possible criticisms that might rise from the raffling of the case to the First Division under the CJ.
“That case was raffled.It did not go to his division for no reason nor did he take it, it was raffled off to his division,” Marquez said.