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Justice Sabio back in CA after suspension

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/11/2008 3:59 PM

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Associate Justice Jose Sabio returned to the Court of Appeals Tuesday after serving a two-month suspension without pay due to a misconduct case that stemmed from the corporate battle for the control of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

The CA justice was in high spirits as he faced the media, saying that he was able to relax and spend time with his family during his absence. He added that he took his suspension as an opportunity to reflect about the controversy he was involved in that has transpired for the past months.

"Maybe if I should have just accepted the bribe, became untruthful...looking back, what was important was to tell the truth," he said.

The Supreme Court on September 9 ordered Sabio's suspension for two months without pay on grounds of simple misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a CA justice, with a stern warning that a repetition of the same or similar acts will warrant a more severe penalty.

Sabio was deemed to have conferred with interested parties in the case involving the battle for control of Meralco between the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Lopez family.

The CA justice earlier talked to his brother, Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) chairman Camilo Sabio, with the latter trying to convince the magistrate of the "rightness" of the GSIS position.

On July 1, Sabio met with businessman-deal maker Francis Roa de Borja, who purportedly offered him a P10-million bribe in exchange for handing the case over to Justice Bienvenido Reyes.

Moving on

Meanwhile, Sabio confirmed the resignation of his daughter, Atty. Silvia Jo Sabio, from Chief Justice Reynato Puno's legal staff because of disappointment over the SC's decision.

If there were any lessons that he learned from the incident, Sabio said that the CA should have an internal panel where justices can voice out their complaints against each other. He said that the panel should be the one to decide whether or not such grievances will be handed over to the SC.

"Might as well not comment, they might think I'm sourgraping," he said when asked whether he lost his belief in the SC.

Meanwhile, Sabio expressed his support to the SC Appointment Watch 2008 which will help screen candidates for the High Court and submit them to the Judicial and Bar Council.

"It's a good idea...SC's supposed to be cream of the crop...they should be competent, and those who'll be appointed shouldn't have any hidden agendas," he said. With a report from Marieton Pacheco, ABS-CBN News

as of 11/11/2008 8:32 PM