Moves to probe, impeach SC justices won’t prosper – SB

MANILA, Philippines - Moves to investigate Supreme Court (SC) justices for various alleged offenses are unlikely to take off anytime soon, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday.

Belmonte said the House leadership has not given any authority to committees to proceed with the investigations into SC justices.

“This is a time where we must focus on the many concerns confronting our people. It is not a time for more impeachment bids that sacrifice vital legislations that need our urgent attention,” he said.

He asked lawmakers to respect the SC as a coequal branch of government “and let them do their jobs as we must do ours.”

He reminded lawmakers of their commitments to the people that they must fulfill.

He stressed there are other more vital issues that should be addressed like rehabilitation efforts post-Yolanda, peace, and social services.

“Our people are impatient for results. Rehabilitation of Yolanda and quake devastated areas are not even fully underway and this amidst issues like that of Meralco and the EPIRA are simultaneously hoisted upon us. We must unite our efforts in support of getting things done and maximizing our time and resources toward this end.”

Belmonte said people see these as more urgent than gathering signatures for impeachment complaints and the time and expense the process involves.

Earlier, House of Representatives leaders said the investigation into the possible misuse of the multi-billion Judiciary Development Fund (JDF) and other lump sums, as well as SC’s alleged encroachment into the powers of Congress were not sanctioned by the Liberal Party and would distract lawmakers from other pressing duties.

Last December, Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas pushed for a probe by the House justice committee, which he chairs, into alleged misuse of the JDF and other multi-billion lump sums being handled by SC justices.

Backing him were Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga and Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali.

Umali is also pushing for a separate investigation into what he said was the anomalous SC decision disqualifying Marinduque Rep. Regina Reyes when her case has yet to be acted upon by the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal.

Barzaga previously told reporters that he saw some indications of misuse of the JDF in the SC’s website.

Umali also railed against the SC decision to declare the Priority Development Assistance Fund as unconstitutional.

Efforts to hold the investigations were widely seen as a means to find evidence to impeach the SC justices. Barzaga, Tupas and Umali were among the prosecutors in the impeachment trial of then chief justice Renato Corona in the Senate.

Critics said the threat to impeach the SC justices was a way to pressure them into declaring the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program as constitutional.

Umali did not hide his intent to seek the impeachment of SC justices for what he called “judicial despotism” in flip-flopping decisions on the pork barrel funds and encroaching on the powers of Congress.

The lawmaker told reporters that many of his colleagues have expressed support for impeachment of the justices. 

The Speaker clarified he respects the views of other lawmakers on impeaching SC justices for alleged violations of the Constitution, but he said the “greater interest of our people comes first.”

He told lawmakers that it is a time for government to unite for progress and development and set aside differences “that hinder us from moving ahead.”

He said among the priority bills that Congress would like to see enacted are the amendment to the charter of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, promotion of micro-enterprise development institutions, the implementation of national land use policy, changes to the Fisheries Code by allowing the trade of artificially propagated marine species, and the delineation of forest boundaries.

Other key pieces of legislation in the priority basket of the House are the amendment to the Witness Protection, Security and Benefits Act, institutionalization of pre-hospital emergency medical care system, and direct assistance to local government units.