Political twist to Ping’s arrest?

BY JP LOPEZ

A FEW days after Manila RTC Judge Myra Fernandez issued the arrest warrant against Sen. Panfilo Lacson for the Dacer-Corbito slays, the Judicial and Bar Council recommended her nomination to the Court of Appeals.

Sen. Francis Escudero, a JBC member, confirmed Fernandez’ recommendation to CA was approved by the seven out of eight members of the JBC. He said he did not vote for Fernandez.

Escudero said Fernandez was the ninth nominee out of 31 applicants for the three vacant seats at the CA. He refused to comment further on the voting.

The CA vacancies were brought about by the appointment to the Supreme Court of Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin on April 3, 2009 and Mariano del Castillo on July 29, 2009 and the retirement of Justice Monina Zenarosa on Aug. 20, 2009.

Lacson left the country last Feb. 5 to evade what he said was an "evil conspiracy" against him. He accused the Arroyo administration of persecuting him for his criticisms against the administration.

Supreme Court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said Fernandez’ inclusion in the JBC list was not a political payback.

"I don’t think her inclusion in the JBC list had anything to do with that. She had been interviewed. Her record is clean. She has been one of our outstanding judges. I think she really deserves to be in the shortlist," he said.

Marquez said Fernandez’ application at the JBC was filed long before the issuance of the warrant of arrest against Lacson and even before the case against him could be filed by the Department of Justice.

Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar branded as "speculation" and "slur" allegations from Lacson’s camp that Fernandez might have been pressured by Justice Secretary Agnes Devandera into issuing the arrest warrant in exchange for the support and approval of her bid to be a justice of the Court of Appeals.

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon urged Lacson to submit himself to judicial processes.

"The Senate I don’t think can be used as a sanctuary by any of its members especially if the offenses being charged against them are non-bailable," Biazon said.

But Biazon said if the judge would allow "something like a house arrest within the vicinity of the Senate, I think the Senate leadership will be willing to extend that to him."

Former CBCP president Archbishop emeritus Oscar Cruz said he remains convinced that Lacson is innocent.

Last week, Cruz admitted Lacson had told him of his plans to leave the country.

He said Lacson regularly consults him either by phone or visiting him in his office at the CBCP compound in Intramuros, Manila. – With Evangeline de Vera, Regina Bengco, and Gerard Naval

More on News

Search