THE Marcos administration must have regretted appointing people closely associated with former President Rodrigo Duterte, to sensitive government posts.
This comes as Malacañang opted to call the attention of Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra over his decision not to be dragged and made to defend the government on matters surrounding Duterte’s arrest.
In what appears to be an indirect call for his resignation, Undersecretary Claire Castro in her capacity as Palace Press Officer, asked Guevarra to retrospect whether or not he’s still fit to serve as the government’s top lawyer.
INSUBORDINATION
Castro, a lawyer by profession, particularly took a swipe at Guevarra’s refusal to respond to petitions filed before the Supreme Court by Duterte’s children, seeking the former president’s release and return from The Hague, Netherlands.
“Wala pa pong napag-uusapan diyan dahil napakabago talaga nito. Lumabas lang ‘yata to kagabi,” the feisty lawyer said when asked whether the President would fire Guevarra for insubordination.
Far from the confrontational stance that she has displayed since assuming the Palace post, Castro effectively rephrased a direct call for Guevarra’s resignation.
“Siguro mas maganda kung mismo si SolGen ang mag-assess sa sarili niya kung siya pa po ba ay nararapat na tumayo bilang Solicitor General,” she averred.
NO SIGNS OF QUITTING
Soon after, Guevarra issued a statement in reply to Castro — “I will leave the matter to the President,” adding that the OSG’s position will remain the same “irrespective of the personalities involved.”
Guevarra, who served as Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) during the previous administration, insisted that he has no conflict of interest — “The OSG represents the interest of the republic vis-a-vis the ICC and no other interest. Our recusal is not personal; it is institutional.”
He however clarified that the OSG’s move not to be involved in the petition filed by the family of his former boss, does not necessarily mean he would decline future petitions to the ICC and Duterte.
“It will depend on the nature of the cases that may be filed in the future,” he said
SOLGEN’S POSITION
Guevarra in his manifestation before the Supreme Court explained that the OSG “may not be able to effectively represent Respondents in these cases” in view of its firm stance that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.
The OSG particularly begged off from the consolidated habeas corpus petitions filed before the high court by the younger Dutertes.
Signatories in the habeas corpus petitions include Kitty (youngest daughter to common-law-wife Honeylet), Baste (incumbent Davao City Mayor) and Pulong (congressman representing Davao City).