Acosta’s daughter bares pursuing all remedies on MinDA chairmanship case

DAVAO City Councilor Luna Maria Dominique Acosta, daughter of former Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Mabel Acosta, said that there are multiple remedies they could pursue following the decision of the Regional Trial Court (RTC)-Branch 11 to dismiss the motion for reconsideration on the quo warranto petition she filed.

During the Aprubado sa Konseho on Tuesday morning, June 16, 2024, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, the younger Acosta said they could explore several remedies because they are fighting for the rule of law.

She added that her mother's position is that if a person has a fixed term, that term should be respected.

“So kung kailangan umabot sa Supreme Court, maging jurisprudence na pag-aralan ng mga law students puhon-puhon we will do so because that’s our right (If the need arises that it would be brought up to the Supreme Court, it would be a jurisprudence that law students would study in the future then we will do so because that’s our right),” she said.   

RTC-Branch 11 denied the motion for reconsideration on the quo warranto petition filed by the former MinDA chief in May 2024 against the current MinDA chair, Leo Tereso Magno.

Based on the decision released on July 11, Judge Nanette Gustilo Lemana stated that they dismissed the motion due to lack of cause of action, as Mabel failed to establish a clear claim to the contested office. The decision also emphasized that Mabel's six-year tenure did not guarantee her continued appointment as MinDA chair.   

To recall, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos appointed Magno, Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao (Opamine), as the new MinDA chair on May 13, 2024.

MinDA, established by Republic Act (RA) 9996, known as the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010, is tasked with promoting, coordinating, and supporting the active involvement of all sectors in Mindanao's socioeconomic development.

The MinDA chair is a Cabinet member appointed by the President who also serves as the chair's ex officio representative on the boards of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and the National Economic Development Authority, as well as the Philippine Senior Official for BIMP-Eaga. RGP