BOL-ANON KINI!
Ingles’ waiver of LGU stipend ‘struck’ P-Noy
JUDGE Gabriel Ingles said President Benigno Aquino III found “peculiar†his application for associate justice of the Court of Appeals (CA).
Ingles said a source informed him that Aquino was impressed with his decision to waive his monthly stipend from local government units (LGU) to maintain judicial independence.
The source, whom Ingles refused to name, told him this was the main reason the President confirmed his appointment to the CA post. “Secondly, I don’t have political endorsements,†Ingles told Sun. Star Cebu in an interview yesterday.
Ingles, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 58, received the official confirmation of his appointment by President Aquino last March 4.
First nodAmong the four newly appointed CA associate justices, Ingles got the first nod from the President. He was appointed last Feb. 24, while the others were chosen on March 1.
Their appointment papers were transmitted on both dates, though, from the Palace to the Supreme Court.
In an interview in his office, Ingles said he was told that President Aquino was impressed with his decision to waive his monthly stipend from the local government units during his nine years as RTC judge in Cebu City.
Ingles said he was happy with the development because “that’s what the Constitution says.â€
This is also the reason the Judicial and Bar Council was created, he said.
Ingles assured that his judicial independence would continue in his new job at the CA.
He will still waive his monthly allowance in his new job at the appellate court.
“I will stand my ground. If I think what I am doing is right, I will do it no matter the cost. (Judicial) independence is a very important factor,†said Ingles.
No lobbyingIngles vowed to disallow “lobbying†of cases at the appellate court. If this happens, he warned he would disclose it as part of the case record.
As a former Palace of Justice spokesperson, Ingles assured he would still be open to
queries from the media for transparency at the CA.
Ingles submitted his application for the CA post last Sept. 13, 2010. He was interviewed by the JBC last Nov. 9.
The JBC submitted at least 13 nominees to President Aquino to fill the four vacant posts in the CA left by Justices Sixto Marella, Jose Sabio, Arangelita Lontok and Andres Reyes Jr.
Ingles, who has been the RTC Branch 58 presiding judge for nine years now, was the lone judge in Central Visayas who was nominated and appointed to the post.
With Ingles’ appointment to the CA, he RTC in Cebu City will lack two judges.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 09, 2011. Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=39885.0