Sandiganbayan justice appeals for calm after Marcoleta's arrest

MANILA, Philippines — Prompted by the tense situation, Associate Justice Karl Miranda on Monday spoke for the first time in his 10-year tenure at the Sandiganbayan to urge the public to trust the judiciary regarding the plunder case of Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.

Miranda is the chairperson of the Sandiganbayan Third Division, which issued an arrest warrant against Marcoleta and his co-accused for plunder arising from the P75 million campaign donation the senator received while still a House lawmaker.

READ: Marcoleta to be detained at Payatas jail over plunder case

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According to Miranda, the judiciary, being the “most conservative branch of government,” typically speaks only through its orders, its resolutions, and its decisions, but he stressed, “the situation today is different; that is why I am making an exception.”

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“In my 10 years in this court, we have never given a statement directly to the media,” he said. “But because of the tense situation, the court needs to do so.”

He said the court broke its silence to fill in the information vacuum that “someone else will fill” if “those concerned do not speak up.”

“To the general public, I just want to say this: Do not fear. Do not be anxious because the court, the judiciary, is here to provide a peaceful forum for the resolution of disputes inside the courtroom and not in the streets.

“This court, the judiciary, is here to transform conflict into ordinary or orderly legal processes. So there is no conflict, and to preserve social stability,” the justice said.

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Last week, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla’s announcement on the case of Marcoleta, a prominent Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member, prompted the mobilization of up to 16,000 Christian sect members in support of the senator at the Edsa People Power Monument in Quezon City early on Tuesday, creating a gridlock at one of Metro Manila’s major arteries.

The number of protesters dwindled to several hundreds at the Liwasang Bonifacio by the time INC spokesperson Edwil Zabala announced on Thursday the end of the protest.

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At that time, Zabala also said the INC opposed the “selective justice” and the “distortion of law” in Marcoleta’s case, saying the senator’s arrest will not stop the Christian sect from demanding accountability.

READ: INC decries raps set vs Marcoleta as ‘selective  justice’

Miranda said: “We see you. We hear you. We understand you. We understand your call that all involved should be accountable, and this is my pledge to you, and this is my guarantee.”

“The court is just waiting. The court is ready. The court is ready and waiting for whatever case the Ombudsman will file to whoever. The court will do its duty.”

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“I urge the public to trust the judiciary to do its duty. Trust the Sandiganbayan. Most importantly, trust the Supreme Court, which is the final arbiter of all legal disputes.”/coa