Justice chief may face imprisonment

Wednesday, November 16, 2011
JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima may see herself behind bars for half a year after she defied a Supreme Court (SC) order allowing former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to seek medical treatment abroad.
Court spokesperson Midas Marquez bared this Wednesday, as he appealed anew to the Executive Department to heed the order since it was clear from the onset.
If found guilty, de Lima will be slapped with a fine of up to P30,000 or imprisonment of up to six months, or both, according to the Rules of Court.
“But, of course, we have to observe due process. For now, we want to remind the executive to follow the order of the court,” Marquez said.
Upon her instructions, the immigration officers on Tuesday night blocked Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel, from boarding a plane that will bring them to Hong Kong, where they are booked for a connecting flight to Singapore.
Arroyo, who is facing charges of plunder and electoral sabotage, is supposed to see her doctors in Singapore on Thursday after she was diagnosed with bone mineral disorder and hypoparathyroidism.
Asked for comment, de Lima said she is willing to face contempt charges set to be filed by the camp of the former President.
“We are ready to face that but so far, we are pre-occupied with other matters. If they want to file a case, so be it, but I want them to spare the immigration officers. They were only complying with my directive,” de Lima said.
She also insisted that the watchlist orders against the ex-First Couple will stay unless the court finally decides that the Arroyos deserve to leave the country at the moment.
“This is our legal position. We want the SC to resolve our motion for reconsideration first and hear our side,” she said.
Senator Francis Escudero said any freshman law student knows that a TRO cannot be questioned through an motion for reconsideration, and even with a pending motion, it cannot defer the implementation of the SC order.(Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/11/16/justice-chief-may-face-imprisonment-190943









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