FASAP slams SC

The Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) yesterday criticized the Supreme Court (SC) for upholding its ruling that recalled an earlier decision declaring as illegal the retrenchment of over 1,400 flight attendants of Philippine Airlines (PAL).

In a statement, FASAP president Bob Anduiza said the SC

had “hijacked justice for the 1,400 victims of PAL’S illegal retrenchment.” “This ruling serves more of a cover-up of the justices’ tracks in suddenly recalling the Sept. 7, 2011 decision last Oct. 4. This latest ruling attempts to justify the meddling of CJ (Chief Justice Renato) Corona despite his assertion that he did not participate in this case, all at the expense of justice for the 1,400 flight attendants,” he said.

Anduiza added the high tribunal was supposed to have ruled on the case with finality.

With the recall, he said the case has again been re-opened “and it sets us up for tragedy.”

“This SC resolution comes right smack as the Chief Justice is presenting (his) defense before the Senate impeachment court, raising suspicion as to the timing of the decision,” Anduiza said.

The prosecution panel cited the flipflopping of the SC on the case in filing Article 3 of the impeachment complaint, which accused Corona of failing to meet the standards in the Constitution that “a member of the judiciary must be a person of proven competence, integrity, probity, and independence.”

Let FASAP, SC justices handle the case Malacañang for its part, said it is up to the SC justices to explain their actions before the public on the issue.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda added that “it is up to FASAP to decide what course of action to take,” saying it is a judicial controversy.

“Maybe you should ask the justices why they did what they did,” Lacierda said.

Lacierda said they were surprised that a decision on the FASAP case would already be out. But he refused to comment on the substance of the ruling since the Palace had yet to study it.