Court administrator charged over alleged misuse of WB funds

“The government, not just the Supreme Court, was injured not only because of the unexplained expenditures but worse, because the multiple appointment of respondent Marquez caused a deterioration of the accountability and transparency of the Supreme Court,” the complaint said. (Photo: Office of the Court Administrator)

MANILA — Court Administrator Atty. Jose Midas Marquez was charged with graft before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday over the alleged misuse of USD21.9-million loan from the World Bank in 2003.

The position of Court Administrator of the Supreme Court is equivalent to the rank and salary of the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals.

In their complaint, Rizza Joy Laurea, founder of the Group of United Youth for Social Change, claimed that Marquez had “conflicting positions” in the judiciary and that he allegedly used his influence for his own benefit.

Aside from graft, the complainant charged Marquez for violation of Section 7(a) of RA 6713, or the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees”.

“The government, not just the Supreme Court, was injured not only because of the unexplained expenditures but worse, because the multiple appointment of respondent Marquez caused a deterioration of the accountability and transparency of the Supreme Court,” the complaint said.

Laurea argued that Marquez violated Republic Act 3019, or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act of 2002”, when he utilized the USD21.9 million loans from the World Bank in 2003.

The WB granted a loan to the SC for the implementation of the Judicial Reform Support Project (JRSP) that aims to support a more accessible judicial system.

The JRSP has four components such as improve case adjudication and access to justice, enhance institutional integrity, strengthen institutional capacity, and assist in strengthening support for the judicial reform process.

Laurea claimed that the WB found irregularities and questionable disbursements of the fund under the leadership of the late Chief Justice Renato Corona where Marquez also held two other positions at the SC.

The WB, through an aide memoire, said that the fund for the implementation of the JRSP has been on high risk due to “implementation delays and the additional work required for smooth project closing.”

The memoire also took fault against Marquez for spending USD199,900 or PHP8.6 million, out of the USD21.9-million loan for 16 ineligible transactions.

Laurea claimed that such transactions include goodwill games, payments for conferences held in the United States and Indonesia, hotel accommodations, restaurant bills, airfare, seminar resource person fees, reimbursement of travel expenses, printing services, and the purchase of PHP6.3-million worth of computer equipment.

She added that the WB urged the SC to refund the amount, but Marquez supposedly disregarded the findings and called it a preliminary report.

The incumbent court administrator is currently a nominee for the position of the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Marquez already underwent the public interview of the Judicial and Bar Council.

The JBC screens and nominates candidates to the vacant positions in the Judiciary and the Office of the Ombudsman.

Sought for a comment, Marquez dismissed the allegations which he described as a “recycled issue”.

“It’s an old recycled issue that does not even involve me. In fact, the JBC (Judicial and Bar Council) has already disregarded this,” Marquez said in text message sent to reporters.

“The World Bank Project and funds never passed me despite my numerous positions.

That was under the Program Management Office of PMO which was never under me,” he added.

Marquez said he never had a copy of the aide memoire of the World Bank which was used as basis for the complaint as well as the JBC opposition.

He said that he “was never ordered or even requested, by any authority to comment on the same (Aide Memoire or the World Bank report).

Marquez said the aide memoir is strictly confidential and usually not disclosed to the public.

The aide memoire was first made public when an impeachment case was filed against the late Chief Justice Corona and was one of the issues raised against him.

“It was never substantiated even by the succeeding leadership in the court. Not then. Not now,” Marquez said.

Marquez, who is vying for a seat in the 15-member high court for the third time, has been serving the SC for 26 years.