Trillanes wants justices in TRO ‘sale’ to appear before Senate

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday alleged that Court of Appeals Justices Jose Reyes Jr. (inset left) and Francisco Acosta received a P25-million bribe each to stop the Office of the Ombudsman’s suspension of Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. on corruption charges. Trillanes photo from PDI file; Photos of Associate Justices Reyes and Acosta from ca.judiciary.gov.ph/

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV wants the two justices, whom he accused of receiving bribe money, and other personalities involved in the alleged payoff in the Court of Appeals (CA) to appear before the Senate.

“Yung mga ni-name ko, yung mga justices … ipapatawag natin yan,” Trillanes told reporters on Wednesday.

The senator was referring to a resolution he filed Monday in the Senate where he named Associate Justices Jose Reyes Jr. and Francisco Acosta of the CA’s Sixth Division as the ones who allegedly received P25 million each in exchange for a temporary restraining order on the suspension of Makati Mayor Jun-Jun Binay.

READ: Trillanes: 2 CA justices got P50M for Binay TRO

Asked if the Senate can summon the two justices to its inquiries, Trillanes said: “Why not? Kung ako nga nag a-appear ako sa mga RTC. Bakit sila hindi?”

The senator reiterated that he had witnesses and documentary evidence to support his allegations.

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, chair of the Senate committee on justice and human rights, said the Senate might investigate the alleged corruption in the judiciary but it could not discipline any justices.

“Hindi namin pwedeng i-discipline ang justices but we can investigate corruption in the judiciary with the objective of looking at improvement of laws to minimize corruption in the judiciary,” Pimentel said in an interview.

Pimentel said his committee could start its investigation on the allegations of Trillanes once the his resolution was referred to his committee when Congress resumes sessions in May.