An appeal for basic due process

MANILA, Philippines - Recent media reports have focused on the allegations of plagiarism and misrepresentation in the Supreme Court, particularly, with respect to the Decision promulgated in G.R. No. 162230, entitled “Vinuya v. Executive Secretary”. The ponente of the Vinuya Decision purportedly copied select portions of “A Fiduciary Theory of Jus Cogens,” written by Professors Evan Criddle and Evan Fox-Descent, and interspersed them into the Vinuya Decision without proper citations. The Supreme Court is likewise being faulted for promulgating the Vinuya Decision and, thus, making the same its own.

According to the spokesman of the Supreme Court, the ponente of the Vinuya Decision has already responded to the foregoing allegations and the matter has been submitted to its Ethics Committee for evaluation and action.

Meanwhile, some legal quarters have asked for the immediate resignation of the ponente of the Vinuya Decision.

The members of the Board of Trustees of the Ateneo de Manila Law Alumni Association, Inc. prefer that due process be allowed to take its course and await the verdict of the Supreme Court, the only body with legal authority to pass judgment on the behavior of Justices.