SC limits NBI role in probe into judiciary corruption
MANILA, Philippines–The Supreme Court has limited the role of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in the investigation on the alleged corruption and decision-brokering in the Judiciary.
During Tuesday’s en banc session, the high court justices have decided that all actions of the NBI should be coursed through the high court through the committee headed by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.
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The NBI is also no longer allowed to summon on its own those tagged in the controversy.
The NBI was tapped to look into the alleged anomalies surrounding the election of officials of the Philippine Judges Association (PJA) and identifying the so-called “Ma’am Arlene,” the decision-broker and go-girl of judges and justices.
Leonen’s committee whose other members include Supreme Court retired Associate Justices Alicia Austria-Martinez and Romeo Callejo was created to lead the investigation.
Aside from the NBI, the Court of Appeals and the Office of the Court Administrator are also doing its own investigation.
“The committee of Justice Leonen is tasked to oversee all investigation in coordination with any and all relevant offices and agencies, access and evaluate information from any source and provide recommendation to the SC en banc,” high court spokesman Theodore Te said Tuesday.
“It is vested with all necessary powers including the power to designate its own resource persons, call upon witnesses to give testimony and avail itself of whatever assistance the court can provide to perform its functions,” Te added.
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