Court admin faces raps over ‘misuse’ of $21.9-M judiciary fund

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez is facing graft and corruption complaint over the alleged misuse of a $21.9-million loan from the World Bank.

Private complainant Rjhay Laurea on Monday filed the case against Marquez before the Office of the Ombudsman for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 and Section 7(e) of Republic Act No. 6713.

The loan, approved by the World Bank in 2003, was intended for the Judicial Reform Support Project (JRSP), a project designed to restore efficiency in the dispensation of justice in the country.

READ: World Bank bares Supreme Court misuse of loan for judiciary reform

The complaint stemmed from the World Bank’s aide memoire dated December 28, 2011, which disclosed questionable procurements and disbursements by the SC under the late Chief Justice Renato Corona.

The World Bank said Marquez, as SC administrator, was authorized to approve, on behalf of Corona, payments up to P200,000, which was later increased to P500,000.

Laurea, citing the bank audit report, said that $199,900 (US dollars) covering 70 payments were deemed to be “ineligible or unauthorized” under the terms of JRSP.

“They used these funds for goodwill games, for allowances for travel expenses, when these funds were intended for judicial reform in expediting cases,” claimed Laurea, founder of “Group of Unified Youth for Social Change.”

Marquez was the only respondent named in Laurea’s complaint.

“(That’s because) he was the Court Administrator then. At the same time, he was also the head of the Public Information Office and the chair of the BAC (Bids and Awards Committee),” she explained.

Marquez is one of the eight shortlisted candidates vying to replace retiring SC Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. who will vacate his post in August. /cbb