Other impeachment case set for House vote

Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo

The impeachment case against Supreme Court Justice Mariano del Castillo will go to the House plenary after the committee on justice, voting 38 to 10, found probable cause to impeach the magistrate accused of betraying the public trust for allegedly plagiarizing parts of a  verdict he wrote in a case involving  Filipino comfort women.

Iloilo Representative Niel Tupas, justice committee chairman, said the Del Castillo case can wait in the plenary, as “we’re looking to approve it after the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona.”

The complaint against Del Castillo was filed on Feb. 2, 2011, and was approved just two days short of the 60-day limit prescribed under the Constitution to process an impeachment complaint at the House committee level.

Del Castillo is an appointee of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whose allies tried in vain to stop what they said was another attempt to railroad the impeachment of a magistrate.

Human consideration

Minority Leader Danilo Suarez appealed for “human consideration” from his peers, considering that Del Castillo will  undergo a quintuple heart bypass operation on February 27.

Maguindanao Representative Simeon Datumanong argued that House members were not given sufficient time to read the complaint and make a sound determination on whether it was sufficient to impeach a magistrate for plagiarism.

“We cannot determine probable cause without extensive discussion,” said Datumanong.

Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone said that members of the committee had been furnished the facts of the case and the opinions of both the accusers and the defenders.

Zambales Representative Milagros Magsaysay argued to no avail that Isabelita Vinuya, leader of the Malaya Lolas group of Filipino comfort women which filed the complaint, had admitted at a hearing last week that they did not want Del Castillo impeached but had only wanted the high court ruling in their case overturned and their demand for compensation upheld.

Twisting opinions

Tupas said  that the case against Del Castillo was not solely about copying the work of others without attribution but also about twisting their opinions for his own ends.

Tupas was supported by Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II who was relentless in pushing for a vote amid the minority’s delaying tactics.

Two of the 10 who voted to reject the case were allies of President Aquino—Northern Samar Representative Emil Ong and Muntinlupa Representative Rodolfo Biazon.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said that even if Del Castillo committed plagiarism, it was not considered a crime.

“An act of betrayal of the public trust must have the same severity or gravity as the enumerated class of impeachable offenses. Not all violations of good norm and right conduct are a betrayal of the public trust,” said Lagman.

Malacañang on Tuesday indicated it was not keen on seeing the impeachment of Del Castillo immediately endorsed to the Senate impeachment court while the Corona trial was in progress.

“It will be a burden if two impeachment cases will be filed before the Senate. But  again, it would be up to the House plenary to decide when,” Lacierda said. With a report from Norman Bordadora