Supreme Court, Court of Appeals ask House to reconsider show cause vs CA justices

June 21, 2017

The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals have asked the House of Representatives to reconsider a show cause order it issued against three Court of Appeals (CA) justices who ordered release of six Ilocos Norte provincial officials at the lower house for contempt. In a joint statement, Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr. expressed deep concern on "implications on separation of powers and judicial independence" of the show cause order issued by the House committee on good governance and public accountability on Associate Justices Stephen Cruz, Edwin Sorongon and Nina Antonio -Valenzuela of the appellate court's special fourth division. "Without inquiring into the merits of the issue currently pending before the Special Fourth Division and subject to the House committee's inquiry, we not that the House of Representatives is not without any speedy legal remedy that is consistent with the separation of powers should it disagree with the action of the Court of Appeals, such as an appeal," they stressed. Sereno and Reyes suggested the House instead "avail of all legal rem dis that are provided to it under the Constitution, the law, and the Rules of Court." Members of the House committee – upon the motion of Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali who heads the justice committee – voted unanimously to order three CA justices to show cause why they should not be cited for contempt for ordering release of six Ilocos Norte provincial officials. The officials are detained at the House of Representatives for contempt in connection to their probe on alleged misuse of P66.45 million in tobacco funds to buy motor vehicles.DMS