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Davide: No basis for SC decision junking Truth body


Truth Commission head Hilario Davide Jr. on Thursday openly criticized the Supreme Court (SC) decision nullifying the Truth Commission tasked to probe anomalies during the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Davide, himself a former Chief Justice, said that the SC ruling had “no basis," contending that Executive Order No. 1, which created the truth body, does not violate the constitutional provision on equal protection of the law. “The Truth Commission does not run after only one specific person. It can apply to cases of graft and corruption committed by public officials holding third level or higher positions during the past administration. The issue on equal protection of law has no constitutional and statutory basis," he said at a forum in Quezon City on Thursday. The SC on Tuesday declared as unconstitutional President Benigno Aquino III’s first executive order creating the Truth Commission for violating the equal protection clause of the Constitution because it singled out the Arroyo administration as the focus of its probe. The five-member body was supposed to investigate 20 corruption and cheating scandals that occurred during the Arroyo administration, including the botched $329-million national broadband network deal, the $728-million fertilizer fund scam, and the “Hello Garci" election scandal. Not the end Davide said the Truth Commission will, however, continue its work while waiting for the SC ruling to become final and executory. Earlier, Malacañang had said that it was considering filing a motion for reconsideration within 15 days after receiving the SC decision. He said that the commission en banc will meet on Friday to discuss its next moves. “In our meeting, we will revisit the SC decision, and see where we stand—the way forward for us," he said. The former chief justice, who likened the SC ruling to the 9/11 terrorist attack in the United States, likewise said that the Aquino administration’s fight against corruption does not end with the junking of EO 1. “The [SC] decision destroyed one of the strongest pillars, the foundation of the culture of honesty and good governance that President Aquino has envisioned," he said. “I hope this will unite the spirit of Filipinos to search for the truth… The war against graft and corruption has not been lost."—MRT/JV, GMANews.TV

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