But no plan to withdraw show-cause order
MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court Wednesday gave another 20 days for the 37 University of the Philippines law professors to file their comment on the show-cause order that the tribunal issued against them.
Since the high court was still in recess, only Chief Justice Renato Corona acted on the request of the embattled UP law faculty, Supreme Court administrator and spokesperson Midas Marquez said.
UP College of Law dean Marvic Leonen and 36 other faculty members were initially directed by the magistrates to file their comment 10 days after they issued the show-cause order on Oct. 20.
“Considering that time is of the essence, the Chief Justice, without waiting for the en banc session, has granted all the motions for the 20-day extension filed by the UP (faculty),” Marquez said in a text message last night.
In an earlier news briefing, he said the high court was “considering” the sentiments of groups and legal luminaries, among them constitutionalist and Philippine Daily Inquirer columnist Fr. Joaquin Bernas, who had expressed support for the UP faculty.
“They are being taken consideration by the court. But the court would rather wait for the compliance of the law dean and professors,” he said.
Asked if the tribunal would eventually withdraw the show-cause order, Marquez said: “Well, there is no indication to that effect.”
The high court ordered the law professors to explain why they should not be sanctioned for supposedly violating the lawyer’s code of ethics after they issued a scathing statement against Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo.
Del Castillo was accused by lawyers Harry Roque and Rommel Bagares of plagiarizing his decision on the reparation case filed by World War II “comfort women.”
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