Observe 'judicial courtesy' in activating Truth Commission, Palace urged

Supreme Court administrator and spokesman Jose Midas Marquez on Monday asked Malacañang to exercise "judicial courtesy" in allowing the Truth Commission to begin its inquiry. Marquez reminded the Palace that the tribunal is still hearing the oral arguments for the petition seeking to nullify President Benigno Aquino III's Executive Order (EO) No. 1, which created the Truth Commission to investigate corruption scandals in the previous administration. The petitioners, composed of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's allies in the House of Representatives, are also asking the SC to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) to block the implementation of EO No. 1. Last Tuesday, petitioner House Minority Edcel Lagman faced the Supreme Court for the oral arguments. The hearings will resume on Sept. 28, with the government expected to defend its side. "It will be best that EO No. 1 be not implemented in the meantime while the court is in the process of hearing the oral arguments. That is why we are making a plea for judicial courtesy," Marquez said at a news briefing. The Truth Commission is expected to convene this week to begin its inquiry. Ealier in the day, the members of the Truth Commission– retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., former Supreme Court Associate Justices Romeo Callejo Jr. and Flerida Ruth Romero, Ateneo Human Rights Center head Carlos Medina Jr. and Ateneo law professor Menardo Guevarra — took their oath of office. Pressuring the court Also on Monday, Arroyo's former election lawyer, Romulo Macalintal, said the President is ill-advised in enforcing EO No. 1 despite the pending case at the SC. "The Supreme Court might be convinced or compelled to issue a (TRO) or status quo order against the Truth Commission because of an ill-advised directove of (Mr. Aquino) asking it to start its work despite the pendency of a petition," Macalintal said in a statement. "Judicial courtesy demands that the government observe the status quo considering that it was given a very short period of time to comment on the petition and an oral argument was called by the court," he added. –VVP, GMANews.TV