Far Eastern University (FEU) Institute of Law professors on Wednesday condemned the pending impeachment case of Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Marvic Leonen.

In an online statement, FEU Law professors expressed their support in the Associate Justice through justifying that Leonen is a 'just and humane' person.

They stated, “Kaming mga propesor ng Far Eastern University Institute of Law naniniwala at panatag na si Associate Justice Marvic Leonen ay isang marangal, matalino, responsable, at di-corrupt na mahistrado ng ating Korte Suprema. (We, the professors from Far Eastern University Institute of Law, believe and is assured that Associate Justice Marivic Leonen is honorable, smart, responsible, and not a corrupt magistrate of our Supreme Court).”

The Institute also called on the congress to trash the impeachment complaint against Leonen.

The complaint against Leonen was filed by Edwin Cordevilla, Secretary General of the Filipino League of Advocates for Good Government, who was accompanied by lawyer Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon before the House of Representatives over “culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.”

Gadon accused Leonen of guilty violation of the Constitution for supposedly delaying resolution of pending cases before the high court.

He cited that Leonen failed to resolve 37 of 82 pending cases within 24 months, violating section 15(1) of Article VIII of the Constitution, the said article requires all cases to be resolved within 24 months from the date of submission to the SC.

He also accused Leonen of betrayal of public trust for allegedly failing to file his SALN during his teaching profession in University of the Philippines.

During 2016, Leonen was the member-in-charge of the electoral protest of the now Vice President Leni Robredo against the candidate for vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.  

The impeachment rap was filed last December 7.

-Vonne P. Milanes
(File photo from Czarina Mae Hilario/FEU Advocate)