SC chides Estrada lawyer

The Supreme Court has ordered a lawyer of ousted President Joseph Estrada to stop questioning justices on their participation in the EDSA II people power revolt in January 2001.

In a one-page en banc resolution dated July 8, the High Court said lawyer Alan Paguia should know better than to expect the justices to reply to a letter requesting them to answer 12 questions concerning the circumstances of President Arroyo’s assumption to power.

In his letter addressed to Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and Justice Artemio Panganiban on June 30, Paguia said public officers are mandated to answer queries from the public within 15 working days.

But the High Court threw out Paguia’s letter, saying it was a "disguised form of forum shopping" and inappropriately seeks to open to review the legality of the assumption of the presidency, which had been settled by the court nearly two years ago.

The tribunal said Paguia should desist from sending directly or indirectly "the same or other such submissions to the court and its members."

Though the questions were addressed to Davide and Panganiban only, the Court treated the letter as an administrative matter "cognizable" by the en banc as it affected the whole court.

"As an officer of the Court, Attorney Alan Paguia, like any lawyer, knows, or ought to know, this fundamental and elementary principle and is bound by his oath, the Code of Professional Responsibility and his honor, to respect and observe it," the Court said.

Paguia has also asked the Sandiganbayan to summon Davide, Panganiban and Justices Antonio Carpio and Renato Corona to shed light on Mrs. Arroyo’s assumption into office. The Sandiganbayan, however, also denied the petition, saying the issue has been resolved by the highest court in the land.

As this developed, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said it is set to file charges against eight supporters of Estrada for snubbing the bureau’s summons in connection with the staging of simultaneous protest action in front of the houses of SC justices.

NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco explained that the summons issued to Arnold Ubina, president of People’s Movement Against Poverty (PMAP), and his companions was part of due process to give them the chance to explain their side.

On orders of the Department of Justice, Wycoco said he tapped Oscar Embido, chief of the Intelligence Special Operations Division (ISOD) to issue the subpoena against pro-Estrada leaders to explain the incident.

Aside from Ubina, those summoned by the NBI were Von Mesina, Lope Santos and Luz Domingo, secretary general, deputy secretary general and member of PMAP, respectively; Romel Mendoza, national chairman of Kabataan Malaya Para sa Filipino; Ver Estaquio of Union of Masses for Democracy; Raymond Abe, Pambansang Kilusang Maralitang taga Lungsod; and Obet Serena, chairman of Kasagpi.

Embido said some of the leaders sent written affidavits while others contacted him by phone to inquire about the summons. — With Cecille Suerte Felipe