Prosecutor threatens to impeach 8 High Court justices

Thursday, February 9, 2012

MANILA -- Prosecutor Rodolfo Fariňas threatened to impeach the eight Supreme Court (SC) justices who voted in favor of the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) on PSBank records Thursday.

“The 188 signatories to the impeachment complaint against Corona should be consistent and impeach the other eight justices,” Fariňas said after the SC, with a vote of 8-5-2, issued a TRO in favor of PSBank’s petition.

Fariňas reminded that one of the eight articles of impeachment is the High Tribunal’s blatant disregard of the principle of separation of powers by issuing a status quo order against the House of Representatives in the case concerning the impeachment of then Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez.

Fariňas said he will initiate a resolution of impeachment whereby at least one-third of House members are needed to sign the complaint. This was the same process of the impeachment complaint filed by the House of Representatives against Corona last December 12, 2011. Back then, the prosecutor-lawmaker did not sign the impeachment complaint.

The eight justices who voted in favor of the issuance of a TRO were Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo de Castro, Arturo Brion, Roberto Abad, Jose Perez, Lucas Bersamin, Martin Villarama, Bienvenido Reyes, and Jose Mendoza. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)