Ang mga nabanggit na terorista ay matagal ng tinutugis ng pamahalaan dahil sa mga ginawang karahasan lalo sa bahagi ng Mindanao.

Sinabi ngayon ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte, maituturing itong tagumpay sa walang humpay na kampanya laban sa terorismo.

“We commend the AFP with this victory in the continuing fight against terrorism,” ani Valte.

Una rito, kinumpirma ni AFP chief of staff Lt. Gen. Jessie Dellosa ang pagkamatay ng 15 miyembro ng JI at ASG members sa inilunsad na airstrike ng military sa may Barangay Duyan Kabau, Parang, Sulu.

Napatay din ang kilabot na lider na sina JI Zulkipli bin Abdul Hir alias Marwan/Brahim at Muhamda Ali alias Muawiyah/Anjala.

Unang nagtakda ang gobyerno ng Amerika ng US$5 million na reward sa ulo ni Dr. Abu.

Kung sa halaga sa piso ito ay katumbas ng mahigit sa P200 million.

Batay sa mga military reports, sina Marwan at Mauwiya ay responsable sa mga serye ng karahasan sa probinsiya gaya ng kidnapping at pambobomba.

Si Marwan, 46, ay US trained Malaysian engineer na matagal na ring wanted maging sa Amerika dahil sa pagkakasangkot sa terror attacks.

Noong 2007 ipinagsakdal si Marwan at kapatid nito sa korte sa Amerika dahil sa pagbibigay tulong sa mga terorista.

Ang Amerika ay may US $5 million reward sa sinuman para sa ikahuhuli kay Marwan.

Sa Pilipinas may patong naman ito sa ulo na umaabot sa P7.4 million.

Itinuturing ng Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) si Marwan na miyembro ng JI Central Command at kabilang sa most wanted terrorists sa buong mundo.

Si Muawiya na $50,000 reward sa kanyang ikakaaresto ay nagsilbing translator sa mga dinukot na miyembro ng International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) noong 2009 sa Sulu.

Si Marwan ang kinokonsiderang isa sa mga top JI leaders sa Southeast Asia pagkatapos maaresto si Umar Patek sa bansang Pakistan.

“We received reports that there were thirty (30) terrorists, including six (6) foreign JI members, who arrived in Sulu on December last year. Our basis is our intelligence on the ground our local assets,” ani Wesmincom chief M/Gen Noel Coballes.

Samantala, hinggil naman sa nangyaring kidnapping sa Tawi-Tawi City, pinaalalahanan ngayon ng Malacañang ang mga turista na doble-ingat sa pagbisita sa alinmang bahagi ng bansa.

Ayon kay Valte, dapat makipag-ugnayan muna sa DFA o sa kanilang embahada bago tumuloy sa binabalak pasyalan.

Una nang kinondena ng Malacañang ang pinakahuling kidnapping case at pinakilos ang mga security forces para sa maayos na resolusyon ng problema at makamit ang hustisya.

Napansin kasi ni Enrile bilang presiding officer na tila walang koordinasyon ang prosekusyon at testigo nitong si Noli Hernandez ang marketing director ng Megaworld Corporation na pinagbilhan ni Corona ng Bellagio condomium sa Taguig City dahil sa tila walang direksyon na pagtatanong sa sariling testigo at minsan ay mistulang ini-impeach pa.

Sa isang testigong hinarap ng prosekusyon kanya-kanyang tayo ang mga senador para sa clarifications.

At dahil sa usapin ng bilihan ng condominium ang pinag-uusapan, sinamantala na ni Senator-Judge Manny Villar ang pagkakataon bilang isang real estate developer at mistulang nag-lecture pa sa mga kasamahan na natural lamang na may discount na ibinibigay ang developer sa kliyente nito lalo na kung panahon ng krisis.

“Normally maraming flexibility po ang mga manager diyan. Wala sila iyong mga hanggang 10% ka lang, merong flexibility sila. Babanggitin ko po, siguro ito na lamang example ko ang aking contribution sa diskusyon na ito. Noong Disyembre po, sa mga nagbabasa po ng dyaryo at siguro milyun-milyon po ang nakabasa nito, isang malaking developer po ang nag-offer ng 40% discount to anybody, to everybody,” ayon kay Villar.

Si Senator-Judge Bongbong Marcos naman na hindi lawyer, tumayo rin para linawin kung ano ang kinalaman ng usapin sa presyuhan at diskwento ng biniling condo unit ni Corona sa Article II ng impeachment na tumutukoy sa hindi pagdeklara at pagsumite ng kanyang statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

Dahil bitin si Marcos sa paliwanag ni House prosecutor at Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, tumayo na si administration Senator Franklin Drilon at sinabing mahalaga ang kinalaman ng presyuhan sa biniling ari-arian ni Corona dahil may kaugnayan ito sa kung tapat o hindi ang punong mahistrado sa pagdeklara ng kanyang SALN.

Si Senator-Judge Serge Osmeña naman ay hiniling sa impeachment court na ipasumite sa hukuman ng testigong si Hernandez ang dokumentong may kinalaman sa original price list ng Belagio condominium, kung may insurance claims sa napinsalang ari-arian, habang sinundan naman ni Senator-Judge Kiko Pangilinan na dapat isama ang engineer report.

“Now, that’s why we are asking for photos because in my experience, water damage is one of the least that can happen to your property as far as damage is concerned. Aside from paint,” wika ni Osmena sa testigong si Hernandez.

Si Senator-Judge Koko Pimentel naman pinayuhan ang prosekusyon na huwag nang ituloy ang balak nitong gamitin pa ang testigong inilaan para sa impeachment Article II sa Article III na tumutukoy sa umano’y flip flopping ng Korte Suprema dahil tiyak umanong sasablay ito.

Ayon pa kay Pimentel, nauubos ang panahon sa naturang usapin, gayong wala naman itong direktang kaugnayan sa tinatalakay na article of impeachment 2 o ang hindi umano paglalahad ng tamang SALN ni Corona.

“Payong kapatid lang sa prosecution. Let go of the issue of the acceptance of the discount. Hindi n’yo kami nakumbinsi sa relevancy ng discount,” wika ni Pimentel.

Pinagtibay naman ng testigo ang prosekusyon ang mga pahayag ng depensa na hindi humingi ng discount si Corona at sa halip ay kusa itong ipinagkaloob ng kompaniya dahil sa ilang depekto ng condominium unit.

Ani Hernandez, mula sa orihinal na presyong P24 million ay ibinaba nila ito sa P19.6 million dahil sa pinsalang dulot ng bagyo, partikular na ang water damage sa ilang bahagi ng unit.

Binaba pa umano ng karagdagang P5.1 million matapos namang magbayad si Corona sa loob lamang ng kulang sa isang taon.

Dahil dito, umaabot na lang sa P14 million ang halaga ng unit na angkop sa presyong binabanggit ng mga abogado ng punong mahistrado.

Hindi pa rin nakadalo si Senator-Judge Miriam Defensor-Santiago dahil nagpapahinga pa bunsod ng hindi normal na blood pressure.

Sa pagtatanong kasi ni Justice Cuevas, nakailang beses na pinaulit ni Giovanni Ng, finance director ng Megaworld Corporation, ang mga tanong ng retiradong mahistrado.

Sinabihan ni Cuevas si Ng na makinig ang mabuti sa tanong sa kaniya dahil mahirap na umano niyang maalala pa ang kaniyang mga tanong at ulitin ang tanong dahil nag-uulyanin na raw siya.

Sinegundahan naman ni presiding officer at Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, ang nasabing puna ni Cuevas.

Maliban dito, pinuna rin ang hindi maintindihang pagbigkas ni Ng sa mga patinig at katinig.

Dahil sa mahina ang kaniyang memorya, pinatawag ni Cuevas ang court stenographer at pinabasa ang stenographic notes para sa huling tanong ng depensa.

Samantala, napatawa naman ang mga nasa loob ng impeachment court, makaraang tawagin ni presiding officer Enrile si Senator-Judge Bong Revilla na “Panday.”

Kabilang sa mga may edad nang bida sa impeachment trial sina Senador-Judge Joker Arroyo, 85; Senate President Enrile, 87; at si defense lead counsel Cuevas, 83.

Ang nasabing 17-kilometer underground river sa Palawan ay pasok sa New 7 Wonders of Nature at pormal na inianunsyo ngayong hapon sa Heritage Hotel sa Pasay City.

Dumalo sa pagtitipon si Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn at personal na tinanggap ang inagurasyon mula kay Bernard Weber ng New7Wonders Foundation.

Sinabi ni Mayor Hagedorn sa kanyang talumpati na labis ang kanyang pasasalamat sa lahat ng mga sumuporta at bomoto sa Puerto Princesa underground river.

Ipinagmamalaki ni Hagedorn na mula sa dalawa, naging 11 na ngayon ang biyahe ng eroplano sa kanilang lugar kada araw.

Sinabi naman ni Dir. Luella Jurilla ng Department of Tourism (DoT) region 4, dahil sa nasabing tagumpay ng lungsod, gagawaran ng DoT at DENR ang Puerto Princesa local government sa Lunes at patikular na paparangalan si Mayor Hagedorn.

Ayon kay Dir. Jurilla, hindi matatawaran ang sakripisyo ng lungsod para mai-promote ang PPUR na ipinagmamalaki ng bansa sa buong mundo.

Samantala, hindi umano natatapos ang kanilang efforts sa pagkapanalo ng Palawan underground river.

Katunayan, nagpupursige umano sila para lalo pang mapadali ang pagbiyahe ng mga turista papuntang Palawan.

Ilan umano sa pinagkakaabalahan ng DoT ang pagsasaayos ng booking system papuntang Palawan kung saan hangad nilang gawin itong centralized.

Balak din umano nilang dagdagan ang mga public rest rooms papuntang Puerto Pricesa at mga information kiosk para mapadali ang pamamasyal.

Kabilang sa mga gumamit ng wikang Filipino sa Day 5 ng impeachment trial ay sina presiding officer at Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senator-Judges Mirriam Defensor Santiago, Kiko Pangilinan, Tito Sotto, Alan Peter Cayetano, Manny Villar, lead prosecutor Neil Tupas Jr., at defense lead counsel retired Justice Serafin Cuevas.

Ang mas lalong natuwa ay si Senator-Judge Lito Lapid dahil matagal na niyang isinusulong na gawin ang mga pagdinig sa Filipino.

Kahit na raw siya ay palagi na lamang nasa Senado ay nahihirapan din dahil maraming mga English term na mahirap intindihin.

Iba naman ang pananaw ni Sotto, dahil ang paggamit ng Filipino ay baka lalong magpabagal sa pagdinig.

Ani Sotto, hindi naman sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay dapat Tagalugin sa dahilang maraming  rules of court na hindi maaaring i-translate.

Ayon kay Santiago, pabor siya rito para mas maintindihan ng mas nakakaraming nakikinig.

Inihalimbawa pa nito ang pagtatanong sa isang testigo bago sumalang sa witness stand kung saan papunta at layunin ang kanyang pagharap.

Sa ginanap na caucus ilang oras bago ang pagpapatuloy sa impeachment trial, walang matibay na patakaran kung ano ang napagkasunduan sa isyu ng paggamit ng Filipino.

Pero kapansin pansin na nanguna na mismo si Enrile na maraming beses na nagsalita sa pambansang wika.

Kung maaalala noong nakaraang lingo, meron na rin ilang senador ang gumamit ng Filipino pero hindi pa gaano.

Tulad na lamang nina Senator-Judge Jinggoy Estrada, Chiz Escudero at Frank Drilon.

Una rito, noon pang linggo ay maraming mga text message na natanggap ang mga himpilan ng Bombo Radyo na nananawagan na gamitin din sana ang wikang Filipino sa impeachment proceedings para mas lalong maintindihan.

Nakisama rin sa humikayat ang ilang obispo ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) na gamitin ang sariling wika.

Inihayag ni Malolos Bishop Jose Oliveros, chairman ng CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Bioethics, at Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes na mas maiintindihan ng masa kung  Filipino ang gamit sa pagtalakay sa impeachment court.

Umapela rin sila sa lahat ng media entities na tulungang ipaunawa sa mga mamamayan ang nangyayaring paglilitis sa punong mahistrado.

Nabanggit na rin sa Bombo Radyo ng isa sa House prosecutors na si Rep. Neri Colmenares, na kapag siya na ang nakasalang lalo na sa Article 1 at Article 7 ay pipilitin niyang gumamit ng sariling wika sa kabuuan ng proceedings.

Pero aminado ang mambabatas na pahirapan din dahil maging siya ay ‘di sana’y mag-Tagalog bunsod sa pagiging Bisaya niya (Bacolod City, Negros Occidental).

Inihalimbawa ni Colmenares ang paggamit ng salitang “impeach” na mahirap na gawing Tagalog.

“You know its better to addres the proceedings to the very people who are supposed to place their trust in their cheif justice, who’s trust has been betrayed… kaya mas maganda ang Tagalog or mag-Filipino all throughout the procedings,” ani Colmenares.

Nabanggit naman ng iba pang miyembro ng prosekusyon na sina Aurora Rep. Sonny Angara at CIBAC Partylist Rep. Sherwin Tugna, na magsasalita na rin ng Tagalog ang prosekusyon upang mas lubos na maintindihan ng publiko ang mga nangyayari sa impeachment court.

Partikular na rito sina House prosecutor at Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga at lead defense counsel na si retired Justice Serafin Cuevas.

Nagsimula ang bangayan ng dalawa sa pamamaraan ng pagtatanong ni Barzaga sa witness na si Atty. Randy Rutaquio ng Pateros-Taguig Register of Deeds .

Agad itong kinuwestiyon ni Cuevas dahil mali sa tingin nito ang ginagawa ni Barzaga, ngunit ayon sa Cavite solon, ito raw ang itinuro sa kaniya ni Cuevas na kaniyang titser sa kanilang remedial law class.

Dagdag naman ng retiradong mahistrado, malamang absent umano si Barzaga noong itinuro at ipinaliwanag niya ito sa klase.

Si Rep. Barzaga ay nagtapos ng Bachelor of Laws Degree sa Far Eastern University bilang Magna Cum Laude.

Para naman kay Atty. Jose Roy III, dating dean at presidente ng Pamanatasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, isa sa abogado ni Corona, bida ngayong araw ang mga octogenarian, o mga players sa impeachment na may edad na.

Ang tinutukoy ng abogado ay sina lead defense counsel Cuevas na 83-anyos na, presiding officer at Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile na edad 87-anyos na at Rep. Elpidio Barzaga na 61-anyos.

Aniya, ang mga nakababata umano ay mistulang nasa sideline lamang at nile-lecturan at nakikinig.

Ang defense panel ay bumilib din umano kay Enrile dahil sa ginawa nito ang kaniyang homework sa isyu ng prosesong pagpapatitulo ng lupa na computerized na.

Isa pang pangyayari ay pinagsabihan din ni Enrile si Senator-Judge Alan Peter Cayetano dahil sa maling diskarte nito ng pagtatanong sa defense lawyer at prosecution lawyer.

Sinabi ng opisyal sa Bombo Radyo Butuan, ang waterspout ay may kakayahang humigop ng mga particles mula sa karagatan at posibleng nahigop ng pwersa nito ang mga isda.

Nang wala ng iba pang mahigop na mga particles at nang mabigatan na sa water vapor ay ibinuga ng waterspout ang mga isda kung saan kasama sa mga nahigop na tubig ay nagkataong sa ilang bahay ito naibuga.

Dagdag pa ni Binalay, nangyari na rin ang ganitong scenario noon sa Lake Mainit, Agusan del Norte, ilang taon na ang nakalipas.

Una rito sa kuwento ni C/Insp. Wilson Corpuz, hepe ng pulisya sa bayan ng Loreto, inulan ng maliliit na isda kahapon ng alas-8:00 ng umaga ang tahanan ni Ong.

Naganap daw aniya ito sa kasagsagan ng malakas na ulan na ikinagulat naman ng mga opisyal at kapitbahay.

Karamihan sa naturang mga isda ay halos kasing-laki ng sigarilyo.

Hindi pa naman matukoy ang ibang uri ng isda kaya inilagay ang mga ito sa aquarium upang magamit sa gagawing pagsusuri.

Dagdag pa ni Corpuz, malayo naman sa karagatan at ilog ang bahay ng nasabing barangay kagawad kaya labis ang kanilang ipinagtataka sa naganap na pangyayari.

Ito’y matapos isang walong taong gulang na batang lalaki ang naisalba ng kanilang alagang aso sa kasagsagan ng malawakang pagbaha sa lungsod ng Cagayan de Oro.

Ayon sa salaysay ng isa sa mga residente sa Bombo Radyo, hindi na nila inaasahang buhay pa ang kanilang apo na si Junjun sapagkat ang dami ng mga narekober na bangkay sa Isla de Oro, Brgy. 13 kung saan sila nakatira.

Subalit makalipas ang ilang araw na paghahanap, biglang sumulpot si Junjun kasama ang asong si Tisay sa kanilang lugar dahilan upang mapaiyak at mapayakap ng husto ang ama nito.

Isinalaysay umano ng biktima na noong tinamaan ng baha ang kanilang bahay, agad niyang nakita si Tisay kaya doon siya kumapit hanggang sa tinangay sila ng baha.

Makalipas umano ang ilang oras na palutang-palutang sa dagat, maswerteng may nakita silang isang pulis at dinala sa dalampasigan.

Ikinuwento ni Junjun sa pulis na siya’y isang mag-aaral sa syudad subalit hindi niya alam ang barangay na kanyang pinagmulan.

Sinabihan naman sila ng pulis na sila’y umabot na sa Brgy. Bugo na sakop na ng hilagang bahagi ng lungsod.

Sa ngayon, si Junjun at ang aso nitong si Tisay ay nasa ligtas na ang kalagayan.

Hindi pa rin malimutan ng bata ang malagim nilang karanasan habang nasa laot ng dagat.

I. RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH HIS TRACK RECORD MARKED BY PARTIALITY AND SUBSERVIENCE IN CASES INVOLVING THE ARROYO ADMINISTRATION FROM THE TIME OF HIS APPOINTMENT AS SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WHICH CONTINUED TO HIS DUBIOUS APPOINTMENT AS A MIDNIGHT CHIEF JUSTICE AND UP TO THE PRESENT.

 Midnight Appointments in violation against Sec. 15, Article VII of Constitution

 Arturo de Castro v. Judicial and Bar Council and President Gloria MacapagalArroyo, et. al., SC held that the prohibition does not apply to SC but only to executive department and other courts lower than SC.

 Indeed, Newsbreak report showed that “he has consistently sided with the (Arroyo) administration in politically-significant cases”. Newsbreak further reported when it tracked the voting pattern of Supreme Court justices, “Corona lodged a high 78 percent in favor of Arroyo”

 A table shows that in 10 cases show respondent’s voting pattern in cases involving Arroyo government’s frontal assaults on constitutional rights prior to his appointment as Chief Justice.

 During his tenure as Chief Justice, Respondent also sided with Arroyo in the following 3 cases such as in (1) Biraogo v. The Philippine Truth Commission of 2010, (2) Bai Omera D. Dianalan-Lucman v. Executive(revoking midnight appointments) and (3) Aquino vs. COMELEC (redefining districts of camsur)

II. RESPONDENT COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION AND/OR BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST WHEN HE FAILED TO DISCLOSE TO THE PUBLIC HIS STATEMENT OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES, AND NET WORTH AS REQUIRED UNDERSEC. 17, ART. XI OF THE 1987 CONSTITUTION.

 Respondent failed to disclose to the public his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth as required by the Constitution.

 Some of the properties of Respondent are not included in his declaration of his assets, liabilities, and net worth, in violation of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act.

 Respondent is suspected of having accumulated ill-gotten wealth, acquiring assets of high values and keeping bank accounts with huge deposits (among others, a 300-sq. meter apartment in the Fort in Taguig).

III. RESPONDENT COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST BY FAILING TO MEET AND OBSERVE THE STRINGENT STANDARDS UNDER ART. VIII, SECTION 7 (3) OF THE CONSTITUTION THAT PROVIDES THAT “[A] MEMBER OF THE JUDICIARY MUST BE A PERSON OF PROVEN COMPETENCE, INTEGRITY, PROBITY, AND INDEPENDENCE” IN ALLOWING THE SUPREME COURT TO ACT ON MERE LETTERS FILED BY A COUNSEL WHICH CAUSED THE ISSUANCE OF FLIP-FLOPPING DECISIONS IN FINAL AND EXECUTORY CASES; IN CREATING AN EXCESSIVE ENTANGLEMENT WITH MRS. ARROYO THROUGH HER APPOINTMENT OF HIS WIFE TO OFFICE; AND IN DISCUSSING WITH LITIGANTS REGARDING CASES PENDING BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT.

 Respondent previously served Arroyo as her chief of staff, spokesman when she was Vice-President, Presidential Chief-of-Staff, Presidential Spokesman, and Acting Executive Secretary.

o Flip-flopping of the Corona Court on FASAP vs. PAL on a mere letter from Philippine Airlines’ counsel Atty. Estelito Mendoza (and also in the flip-flopping case of League of Cities v. COMELEC)

 Respondent compromised his independence when his wife, Cristina Corona, accepted an appointment as on March 23, 2007 from President Arroyo to the Board of the John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) in violation of Code of Judicial Conduct

o serious complaints were filed against Mrs. Corona by her fellow board members because of acts of misconduct and negligence. Instead, on acting on the complaint, the complainants were removed and Mrs. Corona promoted as OIC board chair

 Respondent has been reportedly using the judicial fund as his own personal expense account, charging to the Judiciary personal expenditures.

 Respondent Corona discussed with litigants (Lauro Vizconde and Dante Jimenez) regarding the Vizconde massacre case, which was then pending before the SC and accused fellow Justice Carpio for loobying for acquittal, in violation of Code of Conduct and Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act

 Respondent Corona irregularly dismissed the Inter-petal Recreational Corporation case under suspicious circumstances.

IV. RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND/OR COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION WHEN IT BLATANTLY DISREGARDED THE PRINCIPLE OF SEPARATION OF POWERS BY ISSUING A “STATUS QUO ANTE” ORDER AGAINST THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE CASE CONCERNING THE IMPEACHMENT OF THEN OMBUDSMAN MERCEDITAS NAVARRO-GUTIERREZ.

 Respondent railroaded the proceedings in the Guttierez case in order to have a
Status Quo Ante Order issued in her favor.

o Newsbreak showed that most of the justices received the Petition after the deliberations, while three (3) justices (Velasco, Bersamin and Perez) who voted to issue the Status Quo Ante Order received the petition a day after the status quo ante order was granted.

 Its issuance violated the principle of separation of powers since the Supreme Court
prevented the House from initiating impeachment proceedings.

V. RESPONDENT COMMITTED CULPABLE VIOLATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION THROUGH WANTON ARBITRARINESS AND PARTIALITY IN CONSISTENTLY DISREGARDING THE PRINCIPLE OF RES JUDICATA AND IN DECIDING IN FAVOR OF GERRY-MANDERING IN THE CASES INVOLVING THE 16 NEWLY-CREATED CITIES, AND THE PROMOTION OF DINAGAT ISLAND INTO A PROVINCE.

 Respondent violated the principle of the immutability of final judgments (“flipflopping”) known to have been instigated through personal letters or ex-part ecommunications addressed to the Respondent:

o League of Cities v. COMELEC case involving the creation of 16 new cities,

o Navarro v. Ermita which involved the promotion of Dinagat Island from municipality to province

o FASAP v. Philippine Airlines, Inc., et al.

VI. Respondent Betrayed the Public Trust By Arrogating Unto Himself, And To A Committee He Created, The Authority And Jurisdiction To Improperly Investigate An Alleged Erring Member Of The Supreme Court For The Purpose Of Exculpating Him. Such Authority And Jurisdiction Is Properly Reposed By The Constitution In the House of Representatives via Impeachment.

 Vinuya vs. Executive Secretary, it was alleged that rampant plagiarism was committed by the ponente, Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo

 It appears that, with a clear intent of exonerating a member of the Supreme Court, Respondent, in violation of the Constitution, formed an Ethics Committee thereby arrogating unto himself, and to a Committee he created, the authority and jurisdiction to investigate an alleged member of the Supreme Court.

VII. RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST THROUGH HIS PARTIALITY IN GRANTING A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER (TRO) IN FAVOR OF FORMER PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO AND HER HUSBAND JOSE MIGUEL ARROYO IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE PROSECUTION AND TO FRUSTRATE THE ENDS OF JUSTICE, AND IN DISTORTING THE SUPREME COURT DECISION ON THE EFFECTIVITY OF THE TRO IN VIEW OF A CLEAR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE CONDITIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT’S OWN TRO.

 The Supreme Court, under the Respondent, immediately acted upon the Petition and granted the TRO despite the fact that there are clear inconsistencies in former President Arroyo’s petition

 It appears from reports that the ponente to whom the petitions were raffled was an Associate Justice. Under the Internal Rules of the Supreme Court, a TRO can only be considered upon the recommendation of the ponente. In view of certain objections against the grant of the TRO, a holding of a hearing within the short period of five (5) days was recommended. Despite this recommendation, the respondent engineered a majority of 8 votes (as against five dissenters) the immediate grant and issuance of the TRO in favour of former President Arroyo and her husband in blatant violation of their own internal rules.

 Despite the conditions laid by the SC for the issuance of the TRO, Respondent allowed the issuance of the TRO notwithstanding the fact there was noncompliance of an essential pre-condition

o Due to the Arroyos’ abject failure to comply with Condition 2, the Supreme Court en banc in its November 18, 2011 deliberations, by a vote of 7–6, found that there was no compliance with the second condition of the TRO.

Consequently, for failure to comply with an essential condition for the TRO, the TRO is not effective. However, by a vote of 7-6, the Supreme Court decided there was no need to explicitly state the legal effect on the TRO of the noncompliance by petitioners with Condition Number 2 of the earlier Resolution.

o However, the SC decided that the TRO was effective despite noncompliance with an essential condition of the TRO. It is notable that Respondent did not chastise Marquez for his outrightly false and public misrepresentation.

Worse, the Respondent did not correct the decision that was issued despite the fact that the decision did not reflect the agreement and decision made by the Supreme Court during their deliberations on November 18, 2011.

VIII. RESPONDENT BETRAYED THE PUBLIC TRUST AND/OR COMMITTED GRAFT AND CORRUPTION WHEN HE FAILED AND REFUSED TOACCOUNT FOR THE JUDICIARY DEVELOPMENT FUND (JDF) AND SPECIAL ALLOWANCE FOR THE JUDICIARY (SAJ) COLLECTIONS.

 Respondent has reportedly failed and refused to report on the status of the JDF
Funds and the SAJ collections.

 There is likewise the reported failure of Respondent to account for funds released and spent for unfilled positions in the judiciary and from authorized and funded but not created courts.

o In particular, the annual audit report of the Supreme Court of the Philippines contained the observation that unremitted funds to the Bureau of Treasury amounted to P5.38 Billion

o the Special allowance for Judiciary along with the General Fund, Judiciary Development Fund in the amount of P559.5 Million were misstated resulting from delayed and/or non-preparation of bank reconciliation statements and non-recording /uncorrected reconciling items.

It is not at all unusual for the executive branch to disagree with the judicial branch but what is considerably unusual is for the chief executive to look down on members of the Judiciary in public at a Justice Sector Coordinating Council session and to their faces denounced the Court’s independent actions as the Chief Justice sat speechless, motionless and expressionless because of the requirements of protocol.

Let everyone be assured however that the Court will continue to perform its constitutional mandate of settling actual controversies and determining won there is gad on any branch or instrumentality of the government. The Court will likewise continue to promulgate rules concerning the protection of constitutional rights and procedure in all courts which shall be simplified and inexpensive for the speedy disposition of all cases. Our system of government is bound by the rule of law by written constitution and the justices of the court will continue to interpret what the law is in accordance with their respective appreciation of given set of facts and applicable laws taking into consideration their respective beliefs and philosophies. We must however, always be reminded not of the individual significance of justices including the chief justice but of the institutional importance of SC in our constitutional democracy. In this respect, the court will never shirk from the duty the constitution has conferred to it.

While it is recognized that the three co-equal branches of government have a system of proper checks and balances, it must likewise be recognized that no one department has overruling influence over the other regardless of how popular one branch is at a given period of time as the accumulation of all powers in the same hands whether one, a few or many or whether appointed or elected may justly be the very definition of tyranny.

Perhaps the invocation of checks and balances must have the proper setting, circumstances and decorum.

There were issues of proper settings, circumstances and decorum. We welcome checks and balances but it can be done in other forums.

It (walkout) can be done but we don’t want the people to suffer. We will continue to work with different stakeholders to have an efficient justice system.