Esperon eyes check on petitioners who want to strike out his SC testimony
MANILA, Philippines — National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon is eyeing to check the affiliations of those who asked the Supreme Court to expunge from its records his testimony during the oral arguments on the Anti-Terrorism Law on May 12.
During the Laging Handa briefing on Saturday, Esperon expressed beliefs that some of the petitioners may have seen that their organizations were included in the 18 underground mass organizations allied with the communist movement, which he earlier claimed were identified by Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison.
To recall, during the oral arguments, part of Esperon’s testimony was a two-minute video where Sison supposedly identified these so-called allied organizations of the communist movement under the supposed National Democratic Revolution.
Central to the petitioners’ objection was that Esperon had testified even without being sworn and that the two videos that he presented were also not properly authenticated.
“’Yan ang ipapa-strike out ngayon ng petitioners? Siguro nakikita nila na ‘yung iba diyan ay kasama pala sila diyan,” Esperon said.
“Hindi ko pa alam kung sino ang mga nagpe-petition pero titingnan natin kung anong organisasyon sila,” he added.
The petitioners likewise asked the Supreme Court to cancel Esperon’s appearance at the continuation of the oral arguments on the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Law on Monday, May 17.
Aside from Esperon, “amici curiae” or “friends of the courts” are expected to give their views on Monday’s oral argument. The High Court is expected to wrap up the oral argument also on Monday as it is set to go on recess for the writing of the decision.
