SC: Caparas, Pitoy, Guidote, Mañosa not national artists

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) has voided the national artist awards granted by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to four people, including film director Carlo J. Caparas.

SC spokesperson Theodore Te announced that the high court also voided the national artist awards to fashion designer Pitoy Moreno, Philippine Educational Theater Association founder Cecile Guidote-Alvarez and architect Francisco Mañosa.

Te said that the magistrates voted 12-1-2, granting the 38-page petition of National Artists Virgilio Almario, Napoleon Abueva, Benedicto Cabrera, Bienvenido Lumbera, and Arturo Luz questioning the validity of the presidential proclamation.

In their petition filed in August 2009, the national artists called Arroyo's decrees a "grave abuse of discretion" in "disregarding the rigorous process for screening and selection of National Artists in substituting her own choice for those of the National Artist experts panel."

"Any act of the President or officers and/or agencies acting under her or on her behalf that would diminish arts and culture would be compelling reason for this court to act," the petition also reads.