SC justice’s inhibition in land reform case sought

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

One of the respondents in a 40-year-old land reform case still pending in the Supreme Court wants one of the justices to inhibit himself from the case.

Josefina Lubrica, through her counsel, former Rep. Honorato Aquino, sought the inhibition of Justice Lucas Bersamin, who was among those accused of plunder in a complaint filed by businessman Emilio Aguinaldo Suntay III last week.

“In view of [the filing of plunder charges before the Ombudsman], herein respondent is constrained to reiterate her motion for the inhibition of the Honorable Justice Lucas Bersamin from further taking part in the case,” Lubicra said.

Suntay had called on the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate Bersamin and recommend his impeachment for “serious misconduct.”

Bersamin, San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang, SMC board member Roberto Ongpin and SMC counsel  Estelito Mendoza were sued over alleged irregularities and losses suffered by the government in the 2008 purchase by SMC’s Global Power Holdings Corp. of Meralco shares from Land Bank of the Philippines. Jerome Aning