Sunday, July 29, 2007 Controversial judge withdraws nomination to high court
AFTER more than two months, Sandiganbayan associate justice Gregory Ong ended the controversy over his appointment to the Supreme Court (SC) by withdrawing his nomination.
Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said Saturday that Ong called up Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to inform him of his move.
Bunye said in an interview on government-run radio station dzRB that this was despite Ong having complied with the SC’ instruction to put the brouhaha involving his birth certificate in order.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Ong as an associate justice of the high court last May 16 but questions on his citizenship prompted Malacañang to withdraw the appointment.
The high court ordered Ong earlier this month to “correct” the entries in his birth records.
But Bunye said Ong, in withdrawing his nomination, told Ermita he does not want to be a stumbling block to the Palace’s work of filling up the high court.
Bunye said Ong also thanked Arroyo for appointing him as an associate justice of the high court.
In the meantime, he said Malacañang has not decided whether to ask the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to draw up a new list of nominees. (JMR/Sunnex)
