Newsbyte
By Raïssa Robles
GLUM IN PINK, the main accused ex-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo awaits her court arraignment in a plunder case. PHOTO thanks @tetchtorres in Twitter
Shortly after former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was arraigned at the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan came news that the Supreme Court Third Division had issued an order stopping her arraignment and arrest, along with her co-accused. It read:
“The court issues a TRO (temporary restraining order), as prayed for, enjoining the Sandiganbayan from implementing its assailed resolution dated October 3, 2012 which directed the issuance of warrant of arrest against petitioner, among others.”
But that is just from news reports. Nothing to this hour (2:17 PM of Oct. 29, 2012) has been posted on the Supreme Court website about it.
A report filed by Ira Pedrasa for ABS-CBN sheds a bit more light on what had taken place. It seems the Sandiganbayan had received the Supreme Court order earlier but interpreted it as only covering one co-accused – former state auditor Nilda B. Plaras.
And so Sandiganbayan went ahead with Arroyo’s arraignment.
Here is Ira’s news story on the matter.
It was not the entire Supreme Court but the Third Division that issued the TRO. The Third Division is now headed by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, with the following as members: Justices Diosdado M. Peralta, Roberto A. Abad and Jose Catral Mendoza. It was these four justices who had issued a TRO.
But there’s something odd about this TRO. Why did the justices not meet the issue head-on by simply addressing the petition itself of GMA in their court resolution? Why did they choose to answer Plaras instead of GMA’s urgent petition which she filed last week? You can read about her petition here.
Can the Supreme Court now undo what Sandiganbayan has just done?
Of course it can.
But at what political cost for the Supreme Court?
kontrapilo says
What can we expect from these SC JUSTICES, the appointee’s of gma, of course they have to payback for what they are now. Why can’t they change the system of appointing these SC justices, allow not the President of the Philippines has the final hands of their selection. Let the the Bar council, the private organization and other concerned organization make the selection process, so there will be no UTANG NA LOOB later to who ever set as President. Bakit Presidente pa ang may last say?
jorge bernas says
@ kontrapilo,
Tama ka kontrapilo, hindi na dapat presidente ang mag appoint nang mga justices of the supreme court para mawala mga pag alinlangan at pagdududa nang mga mamamayan kasi nagagamit nang mga sakim na presidente para sa pansariling kasakiman tulad nang ginawa ni GMA, Marcos sr. et. al.
leona says
Our short PRAYER for the people in the East Coast USA:
“Lord, pity us and forgive us our SINS! Save us from this SANDY storm.
Do not chastise us Lord. We are sorry. Protect us from harm. Mama
MARY PRAY FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. Amen.”
raissa says
To all those in the US East Coast,
Stay safe.
#Sandy 24-hour help desk for Pinoys in U.S.
Duty Officer of the RP Embassy (203) 368-2767
Consulate General in New York (917) 294-0196.
parengtony says
Right about this time is the critical stage for New York City as regards to how bad the flooding caused by the storm surge cum high tide will be… particularly to the subway system. The risk is that damage to the electrical system of the subway system can potentially cause a sort of semi-paralysis of this mass transport which several million people use everyday.
[email protected] says
Sandy was not scary as advertized dito sa VA Beach. Yung sumabay na high tide ay umabot lang ng 7 feet, about 10 inches below the mark reached last year during Hurricane Irene. Maliban sa buong araw na ulan at pabugso-bugsong hangin, wala namang masyadong pinsala. Sa ibang lugar dito sa Hampton Roads, nawalan ng power pero sandali lang at bumalik din……….