Palace: No plan or campaign to remove Midas Marquez

Malacañang clarified Thursday said that there is no campaign or plan to remove “uncooperative” Supreme Court administrator Midas Marquez.

 

“We are not in a position to do that. The Supreme Court chief justice and the justices will be the ones who will determine his fitness to remain as court administrator, and not us,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said."

 

“Again, let me emphasize it’s not us who are pushing for his removal. We are not doing that. However, we are saying that it is up to the justices to see if he is fit to remain as court administrator. We have no plans to remove him,” he added.

 

He said this is despite Marquez’ uncooperativeness.

 

“Based on our experience in the past, especially the experience of the Department of Budget and Management when there was an issue on the allowances of the judges, we have experienced how the court administrator has managed to try to influence the judges from stoking the division against the executive branch,” he said.

 

He said their friends from the judiciary informed them of a plan to march to Malacañang from Sofitel during that time.

 

Fortunately, a DBM director was able to convince the judges of the position of the government so the planned march was thwarted.

 

“This is not something which we are not ignorant of. Again, like I said, we have friends from the judiciary who did not agree with the position taken by the court administrator,” said Lacierda.

 

He also said Marquez submitted a report on the Judiciary Development Fund, which the DBM had been asking, only after the impeachment complaint against former Chief Justice Renato Corona was filed.

 

“A report which the DBM could not make heads or tails of,” he said.

 

“Again, we would hope that with a new Chief Justice, we will expect better cooperation from the Office of the Court Administrator because he will get his marching orders from the new Chief Justice,” said Lacierda.

 

He did not directly answer if Malacañang can work with Marquez.

 

“The Chief Justice issues the orders to the court administrator. The court administrator has no discretion but to follow the orders of the Chief Justice,” he said. —AE/VS, GMA News