ONE of the Court of Appeals Associate Justice handling the petition on the second preventive suspension of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay inhibited herself from the case.
Associate Justice Celia Librea-Leagogo inhibited from the case because the first cousin of Interior Secretary Mar Roxas is the first cousin of one of the co-partners of her husband, Atty. Joey Leagogo.
“It was recently brought to my attention that the Secretary of the respondent Department of the Interior and Local Government, who was directed to implement the Ombudsman’s Joint Order, is the first cousin of one of the co-partners of my husband in their law firm,” Leagogo said.
“I am voluntarily inhibiting myself from participating in this case, in the interest of impartiality in the proper discharge of my judicial office,” she added in her one page letter dated July 6.
Associate Justice Priscilla Baltazar Padilla has been assigned to replace Leagogo.
Binay went to the Court of Appeals after he was preventively suspended anew, this time, in connection with the questionable bidding for the Makati Science High School building.
The appeals court, however, held in abeyance its action and instead ordered the Office of the Ombudsman and the DILG to comment on Binay’s petition.