SC employees slam additional P1M for impeach proceedings

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — An organization of court employees branded as “plain and simple callousness” the request for an additional P1-million to sustain the operations of the impeachment trial against Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Earlier reports said that the House of Representatives has spent over P3.5 million for the 34 days of the impeachment trial.

Expenses for supplies accounted for P1.9 million and food expenses amounted to P1.565 million.

“This is taxpayer’s money going down the drain.  Instead of giving attention to our people’s basic needs, our lawmakers are wasting time and resources in a sham trial,” Jose Dante Guerrero, President of the Supreme Court Employees Association said.

“Let us divide the P1.565M spent on food by 34 trial days, that would be more than P46,000 per trial day on food alone.  The 1.9M for supplies translates to more than P55,880 per trial day,” Guerrero said.

An Waray Representative Florencio “Bem” Noel said an additional P1-million would be needed because the trial would be stretched to May.

“The request for an additional P1M is in bad taste considering the announcement that we shall be paying an additional 69.04 centavos per kilowatt hour in our May electric bill. This shall take effect in May, and as we all know, it is a tuition month for parents who have school-aged kids.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine Association of Court Employees (PACE), through its National President and lawyer Virginia Rafael, remains united and are all ready to defend Chief Justice Renato Corona, saying “walang iwanan even when worse comes to worst.”

The association of lower court employees contends that the impeachment proceedings are borne out of “personal hatred.”