SC junks suit vs. ex-VP Binay over BSP post for being moot

Falcis said Binay was elected as the BSP national president by the National Executive Board in 1999 and continued serving until his reelection on June 20, 2015 which marked his 19th year in the post. (File Photo: Jojo Binay/Facebook)

MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed for being moot a suit filed by a lawyer against former vice president Jejomar Binay, questioning his position as national president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP).

“Without delving on the issues and in view of the expiration of Binay’s term as vice president of the Philippines on June 30,2016, the Court resolves to dismiss the petition for being moot and academic,” the SC through Clerk of Court Edgar Aricheta said in a resolution dated September 24.

The suit by lawyer Jesus Nicardo M. Falcis III had sought to declare Binay as having acted with grave abuse of discretion in holding another office, that of national president of the BSP, during his tenure as Vice President of the Philippines in contravention of the Constitution.

Falcis said Binay was elected as the BSP national president by the National Executive Board in 1999 and continued serving until his reelection on June 20, 2015 which marked his 19th year in the post.

Retired Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, then Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta and Associate Justices Andres Reyes and Alexander Gesmundo took no part in the decision as they were on leave.