SC denies it directed issuance of Jimenez rescue order

The Supreme Court has categorically denied reports that it instructed the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 69 to issue an order to “rescue” the wife of former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez from the Silvercrest Foundation, a drug rehabilitation facility in Las Piñas City where she had been confined.

In a letter addressed to Jimenez’s lawyer, former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez, SC Senior Deputy Court Administrator Zenaida Elepaño denied reports that the High Court had ordered the Pasig RTC and its presiding judge Lorifel Pahimna to issue the order to rescue Caroline Castañeda-Jimenez.

“I categorically deny having instructed the adverted Pasig Court and its presiding judge, or any court and its judge in the Philippines for that matter, to issue any rescue order relative to the cases of spouses Jimenez,” Elepaño said.

Elepano, in her letter, said the National Capital Judicial Region (NCJR), to which the Pasig RTC belongs to, is not within the area of her administrative supervision.

Chavez earlier wrote Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno to clarify whether the statements made by Caroline’s lawyer, Lorna Kapunan, were true.

Kapunan was earlier reported in a newspaper (not The STAR) as saying that it was the Supreme Court through Elepaño and on the orders of Puno that instructed the Pasig RTC to issue the rescue order.

It would be recalled that with the issuance of the rescue order by the Pasig RTC, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation raided the Silvercrest Foundation – which is partly owned by Jimenez’s niece, Diana Crespo – and “rescued” Caroline.

After the rescue, Chavez filed a motion for inhibition with the Pasig RTC Branch 69 and sought for the inhibition of Pahimna. Chavez cited Pahimna’s alleged bias in favor of Caroline and for “definitely prejudging the case.” Last May 30, the court issued an order granting the motion.

“Taking into account the loss of trust on the part of respondent (Mark Jimenez) as to the presiding judge’s impartiality, this court resolves to grant the motion for inhibition/disqualification,” said the court in its order.

Last May 16, Caroline was taken by eight to 10 men to Silvercrest, where she was held for nine days until she was "rescued" by NBI agents.

Jimenez denied he had a hand in his wife's kidnapping, saying he turned her over to specialists who can treat and rehabilitate her. He said her addiction to "prohibited drugs" caused their family troubles. – Mike Frialde