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Supreme Court Ruling a Victory of Filipino People: Government
The Philippine government said Saturday that the unanimous decision of the Supreme Court upholding the legitimacy of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a victory of the entire Filipino people.
Presidential Spokesman Renato Corona said here there was never any doubt that the high tribunal would disregard the claim of former President Joseph Estrada that he is still the country's legitimate president.
In a 65-age ruling, formally promulgated Saturday, the Supreme Court voted 13-0 to dismiss a petition filed by Estrada last month challenging the legitimacy of the Arroyo government. It also voted 9-4 to deny Estrada immunity from lawsuits.
Estrada, toppled in a military-backed popular revolt on January 20 which installed then Vice President Arroyo in his place, has been insisting he is just on leave and that Arroyo is only acting president.
President Arroyo, reacting to the Supreme Court's ruling, said Saturday that since she assumed the presidency on January 20, her government has been performing its functions according to law.
"We have been doing everything according to law. The Supreme Court has affirmed that we are lawful and constitutional," she said at a rally in the southern city of Iligan for the ruling People Power Coalition's senatorial candidates for the May 14 parliamentary elections.
Estrada, who has 15 days to file a motion for reconsideration with the Supreme Court, is reportedly in discussion with his lawyers over the rule.
Meanwhile, Ombudsman Aniano Desierto said Saturday on local television station that government lawyers will decide by Monday whether to file criminal charges against Estrada with the anti- graft court.
He said the lawyers would try to determine if the Supreme Court 's ruling cleared the way for charges to be filed against Estrada as the court issued an order on February 20 banning his office from filing charges for 30 days.
Desierto's office is investigating Estrada over a host of corruption charges including economic plunder, which is punishable by death.
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