December 2, 2007

Sen. Trillanes. Extensive newspaper space is devoted at present to the standoff at the Hotel Peninsula with Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV heading a new “coup” (?) against the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The government is still in the search for people who were part of the short-lived rebellion. On Monday, the Senate of the Philippines will tackle the fate of Sen. Trillanes, whether to suspend him or expel him, or merely censure him. The media networks are planning to file suits because media men were also arrested and manacled when the plotters were arrested. A legal debate that is ongoing is whether the curfew imposed on Thursday night from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. is proper under the law and the Constitution. It however becomes an academic debate if it is discontinued. For an incisive analysis of the situation from constitutional considerations, read the front page article of Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J., constitutionalist at the Philippine Daily Inquirer, issue of December 1, 2007.

The writ of amparo. Are you interested in learning about the writ of amparo? Justices of the Supreme Court which has provided for the writ have been giving lectures on the writ. One recent symposium was held last Saturday, December 1, 2007 at the San Beda Graduate School of Law at Mendiola, with retired Justice Vicente V. Mendoza and Senior Associate Justice Leonardo Quisumbing as speakers.This is under the auspices of Fr. Ranhilio Aquino, dean of the graduate school. The text of the rule on the writ of amparo with its amendment is one click away. Please go to xxx.

Vasquez. The new Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals is Justice Conrado Vasquez Jr., taking over from Justice Ruben Reyes who was appointed to the Supreme Court. He completed his law education in MLQ University which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year after obtaining the title of Associate in Arts in the University of the Philippines.. He became a lawyer in 1964 after he was a councilor of Biñan, Laguna, in 1963. He was the town’s vice mayor from 1968 to 1971. He became a regional trial judge in Pasay City in 1986 and was promoted to the position of Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals. He was honored by the Rotary Club of Manila in its Commitment to Justice Awards in 2005 for placing third in disposing of the highest number of cases in the Court of Appeals.