Press Release
March 11, 2016

CHIZ CHIDES POE'S CRITICS: RESPECT SC RULING,
STOP CASTIGATING JUSTICES

Vice-presidential frontrunner Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said critics and rivals of his runningmate Sen. Grace Poe should respect the decision of the Supreme Court allowing her to run for president and stop undermining the high tribunal as an institution.

Rather than castigating the magistrates who voted in favor of Poe and threatening to impeach them, Escudero said Poe's political opponents should focus on expounding their platforms of government and plans for the country to the electorate to help voters decide wisely come May 9.

"Ngayong natanggal na ang anumang balakid sa kandidatura ni Sen. Grace, sana tanggapin at galangin ito ng kanyang mga kalaban," Escudero told a press conference Thursday in Calbayog City.

"Tumigil na sana sila sa anumang tangka na i-disqualify sya (Poe) at harapin na lamang sya sa pagalingan ng plataporma o mga plano para sa ating bansa bilang pangulo," he added.

Escudero slammed the losing petitioners in the disqualification case filed against Poe for being "arrogant and presumptuous that they know everything about the law" and even threatening to file impeachment cases against the nine SC justices who voted in favor of the leading presidential candidate.

"These people do not have a monopoly of wisdom in interpreting the law. They should respect the decision of the justices, who would not stake their names, their integrity or their places in history in jeopardy," Escudero said.

The veteran lawmaker said that while he the petitioners have the right to file their motions for reconsideration with the high court, "they do not have to malign the justices by lecturing them of what they were supposed to do."

The senator also pointed out that the petitioners were ill-advised for making such an early, sweeping judgment of the magistrates who voted in favor of Poe even when they, themselves, admitted that they have yet to read a copy of the SC decision.

In fact, as of Wednesday, the high court has yet to release a copy of the decision.

In separate interviews they granted to media, University of the East College of Law Dean Amado Valdez, lawyer Estrella Elamparo, De La Salle University political science professor Antonio Contreras and former senator Kit Tatad - through his lawyer Manuel Luna - said that, in rendering a decision favorable to Poe, the justices committed "a great injustice to the country and violated the Constitution.

Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno led eight other SC magistrates in voting to allow Poe to run for president in the May 9 elections. The eight are Associate Justices Presbiterio Velasco Jr., Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza, Marvic Leonen, Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, Francis Jardeleza, and Diosdado Peralta.

Those who voted to uphold the Commission on Elections' decisions canceling Poe's certificate of candidacy for president were Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo De Castro, Arturo Brion, Mariano Del Castillo, Bienvenido Reyes, and Estela Perlas-Bernabe.

"It is the height of insolence that these petitioners could denigrate our justices for a decision that is sound and based on jurisprudence. It is just unfortunate that they may have their own interpretation of the law," Escudero said.

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