SSS: C of A STOPS SUSPENSION OF NERI / 25 PARTY-LIST GROUPS DELISTED
MANILA, OCTOBER 15, 2009 (STAR) By Edu Punay - The Court of Appeals (CA) yesterday ordered the deferment of the suspension order against Social Security System (SSS) president Romulo Neri.In a two-page resolution penned by Associate Justice Pampio Abarintos, the appellate court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to the Office of the Ombudsman against implementing the suspension order on Neri for 60 days.
Neri filed a petition for review with the CA last week seeking to restrain the Ombudsman from implementing the suspension order after it found him guilty of misconduct in connection with his role in the botched $329-million national broadband network (NBN) deal with Chinese firm ZTE Corp.
Neri accused the Ombudsman office of abusing its discretion when it pushed for his suspension even pending resolution of his appeal.
In the two-page resolution, the CA’s 10th division ordered the Ombudsman against suspending Neri pending the final resolution of his petition.
Lawyer Harry Roque Jr., of the Concerned Citizen’s Movement (CCM), said the CA’s issuance of a TRO was premature and without legal basis.
Roque, who was among those who initiated the complaint against Neri, said the resolution issued by the CA is different from the order given in open court during the hearing on the TRO last Monday.
“During the hearing, the justices resolved that they will not yet resolve the issue, and wait for our written comment. After we submit our comment, that is the time that the entire case will be submitted for resolution, including the TRO,” Roque said.
Roque said the resolution issued by the CA last Oct. 7 gave the group of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona ten days to file their written comment.
“Hence, this resolution issued on Oct. 13 is at best premature and at worst questionable and without legal basis, because that is not what the justices announced in open court and agreed upon by the parties,” Roque pointed out.
The Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Neri for his alleged misconduct for refusing to disclose the details of his supposed conversation with President Arroyo regarding the NBN-ZTE deal. Neri at the time was serving as socio-economic secretary reviewing the contract with ZTE.
During the Senate inquiry over the issue last year, Neri alleged former elections chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. offered him a bribe to approve the NBN deal with ZTE.
Neri though remained mum on the details of his conversation with the President regarding the irregularities surrounding the contract.
25 party-list groups delisted By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star) Updated October 15, 2009 12:00 AM
MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) delisted yesterday 25 organizations from the official list of registered sectoral party-list groups for failing to get sufficient votes in the 2007 elections.
Among the delisted party-list groups were Abanse Pinay, Migrante, Ak, PCDO-ACTO, PGBI, Anak Mahirap, Aba, AKO, Aging Pinoy, Ahon Bayan, Aksa, Akapin, Asap, A Smile, Assalam, BTM, Bahandi, Cocofed, Grecon, Nelffi, PMAP, SM, Sanlakas, SPI and Suara.
In a six-page resolution, Comelec said the disqualified party-list groups either failed to participate in the last two elections or did not obtain two percent of the votes cast.
The Comelec said after an interested party filed a verified complaint or even motu propio, the commission could cancel the registration of a party-list group.
Poll officials, however, said the two percent vote requirement does not cover the organizations that won a congressional seat based on a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Comelec said the groups Barangay Association for National Advancement and Transparency (BANAT), Bayan Muna, A Teacher, and Abono could still participate in the coming elections.
Groups that were disqualified could still file their verified opposition to the resolution on Oct. 26, during office hours.
Election officials said the purge of the list of registered party-list groups is being undertaken to ensure orderly elections in 2010.
They said that there are moribund parties that are already not functioning and should be removed from the list.
Comelec chairman Jose Melo earlier said that the participants in the party-list elections have “gotten out of hand” with any small group claiming to be marginalized and seeking accreditation to participate in the polls.
The poll body is currently deliberating on the petitions of more than 200 party-list groups seeking Comelec approval to participate in the 2010 elections.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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