MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos is asking Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen to inhibit from the hearing of his election protest against Vice President Leni Robredo.

The Marcos camp claimed that Justice Leonen had shown his prejudices against the said election protest.

Marcos said Leonen, the justice-in-charge on the case, had been one of those who had been against the burial of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. He is also an appointee of former President Benigno Aquino III whose family is known as a political rival of the Marcoses.

Marcos claims that Leonen has been dragging the case with his inaction.

“Justice Leonen has prejudged this case. He’s hostile to me and to our entire group if you may call that. And we see some instances where he expressed an opinion against the Marcoses. Me, in particular, and the Marcoses, in general,” the former senator said.

He also alleged that Justice Leonen had been delaying the proceedings of the case by asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Office of the Solicitor-General on whether the high court has jurisdiction on the case.

“Naging maliwanag sa akin ang dahilan kung bakit niya hiningan ng comment ay magdelay ulit at imposible para sa akin na hindi niya nalalaman. Isang justice ng Supreme Court, hindi nalalaman ang batas tungkol diyan? Hihingi tungkol sa jurisdiction?” he said.

Aside from Leonen’s inhibition, the Marcos camp also wants to have the election protest raffled off again and for the court to arrive at a resolution for all the pending details on the said protest.

Among these is the nullification of the votes in Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Maguindanao due to the reported harassment of voters and alleged preshading of ballots.

Marcos personally went to the Supreme Court on Monday morning (November 9) with his lawyers, Atty George Erwin Garcia and Atty. Vic Rodriguez who is also his spokesperson.

Marcos hopes that, with Leonen’s inhibition, the case will proceed accordingly and will be immediately resolved.

“Pag wala na si Justice Leonen kung mag-inhibit siya may pag-asa na hindi na madelay; may pag-asa matatapos in time. Pag si Justice ang nakaupo, in charge diyan, sa aking pananaw, imposibleng matatapos ito in time. Pipilitin niya ipupwersa abutin ang filing para maging moot and academic.  Eleven months walang ginawa walang sinulat walang inilabas na desisyon,” he claimed. — (from the report of Dante Amento) /mbmf

MANILA, Philippines – Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, and law professors at the University of the Philippines on Wednesday filed a petition before the high court against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

In their 86-page plea, Carpio, Morales and several lawyers urged the Supreme Court to declare the entire law unconstitutional and to stop its implementation.

Carpio and Morales were joined by UP Law professors Dante Gatmaytan, Jay Batongbacal, Theodore Te, Victoria Loanzon and Anthony Charlemagne Yu, former Magdalo Party-list Representative Francisco Ashley Acedillo and student leader Tierone James Santos.

The petitioners questioned the vague and broad provisions of the law that may lead to arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement and malicious prosecution of innocent people.

The group also blasted the powers granted to the Anti-Terrorism Council that, they say, are greater than those given to the president in times of invasion and rebellion, including the power to authorize the arrest and detention of suspected terrorists for up to 24 days without court intervention.

This is the 11^th petition to be filed against the anti-terrorism law. – RRD (with details from Correspondent Joan Nano)

President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed former Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin as the new chairperson of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

Bersamin will replace Ronald Macasaet, who acted as GSIS officer-in-charge.

According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, the government is confident that Bersamin will be able to perform his duties as the new GSIS chair.

“We are confident that Mr. Bersamin would serve the GSIS with the same dedication and integrity he demonstrated in his many years of government service,” he said in a statement.

Bersamin is also named as a member of the Board of Trustees of the GSIS.—AAC