Justice Leonen sinampahan impeachment complaint

SINAMPAHAN ng impeachment complaint si Supreme Court Justice Marvic Leonen sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso kahapon dahil sa kabiguan nitong maghain ng kanyang Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALN) sa loob ng 15 taon at umano’y pag-upo sa mga kasong kanyang hawak.

Ayon kay Edwin Cordevilla, secretary-general of the Filipino League of Advocates for Good Government, na nagsampa ng reklamo kasama si Atty. Larry Gadon, mahirap inbestigahan si Leonen sa katiwalian dahil wala siyang SALN.

Ang impeachment complaint ay tinanggap ni House secretary-general Mark Llandro Mendoza, at inendoso ni Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Marcos-Barba, ang kamag-anak ni dating senador Bongbong Marcos.

Ani Cordevilla, si dating Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno ay natanggal dahil sa kabiguang na maghain ng SALN sa loob ng anim na taon.

“Since Leonen failed to file his SALN for 15 years, it would be difficult for the investigating authorities to pin him down in the event that a corruption case is filed against him,” ani Cordevilla.

“If Leonen wakes up one day and decides to build a castle for his retirement home, it would be next to impossible to examine his assets and net worth since these were never filed for 15 whole years,” dagdag niya.

Paliwanag ni Cordevilla, ini-appoint si Leonen ni dating Pangulong Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III noong Nobyembre 2012.

Aniya, walang kredibilidad si Leonen dahil “he willfully and intentionally failed to file his SALN during his years at UP, which is a mandatory requirement for all public officers.”

Si Leonen ay isang propesor sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas mula 1989 hangang 2011 bago naitalaga sa Korte Suprema.

“Leonen lacks integrity because he failed to file his SALNs as required by law. He has betrayed public trust,” diin ni Cordevilla.

Hindi rin umano patas si Leonen sa mga kasong hinawakan niya dahil pumapanig sa mga kapartido ni Aquino sa Liberal Party.

Si Leonen ang namununo sa House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal na ngayon ay nakabinbin ang kaso ni Bongbong Marcos. (GERRY BALDO)