Palace: No move to oust Midas Marquez

Supreme Court administrator and spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The palace is not waging a campaign to remove Midas Marquez as Supreme Court administrator but is leaving the matter to the high court to determine whether or not he is fit to remain in his post.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda explained in a press briefing Thursday that he was just painting a “clear picture” when he said that despite Marquez’s fixed term as court administrator, he can always be removed from office under an old law, Presidential Decree No. 828, if just cause is determined by a vote of not less than eight justices of the Supreme Court.

“We are not openly campaigning [against him]… We have no plans of removing him,” he said.

Lacierda’s statement came days after he said Marquez should be held accountable for purchases he made using a World Bank loan that was questioned by the organization last year.

Not cooperative

He added that Marquez has likewise not been a cooperative court administrator to the executive branch.

He said that through information relayed to him “by friends in the judiciary,” the Palace got wind of an attempt of Marquez to have judges march to Malacañang from a hotel in Manila where they attended a seminar to air their concern about their allowances.

“But in that particular seminar of judges, the Department of Budget and Management  personnel were able to convince the judges of the position of the government. As a result, the planned march did not happen because majority of the judges were fairly convinced by the position of the executive and the position of the DBM,” Lacierda said.

The “friends from the judiciary” who relayed this plan “did not agree with the position taken by the court administrator,” according to the Palace spokesperson.

Lacierda also said Marquez has been complaining about the budget of the judiciary but could not give an accounting of the judicial development fund (JDF).

“It was only when the impeachment complaint was filed that they submitted a report which, however, the DBM could not make heads or tails,” he said.

Better cooperation

Now, Lacierda said better cooperation with the Court Administrator is expected because he will get his marching orders from the new Chief Justice.

Asked whether the Palace can work with Marquez, Lacierda did not reply directly, but repeatedly said, “If we will have a new Chief Justice who recognizes the need to discuss with us what happened to the JDF, the Court Administrator will get his marching order from the Chief Justice.”

He said the Palace would also like to have an accounting of the filing fees under the Court administrator’s office “so that the DBM can prepare its budget properly.”