A retired presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan castigated what he described as the "extravagance" shown by sitting justices of the anti-graft court after they purchased three sport utility vehicles recently amid the energy and food crisis in the country.
Manuel Pamaran said that the acquisition of three Honda CR-Vs by the magistrates displayed their "insensitivity", specifically with the nationwide calls for austerity.
“This is shocking. During our time, we did not splurge on such luxuries. This is very wrong,” he said.
Court insiders said that two CR-Vs were delivered last week to the still unnamed magistrates. Another one is on its way. Each vehicle was priced P1.27 million.
Additional information from the court informants said that the justices who will get the SUVs shall also enjoy an additional 33 percent or P2,500 gas allowance from the current P7,500.
Pamaran said that even if funds were allocated for the SUVs from the court's budget, the purchase's timing is wrong.
“They (justices) should have given more attention to the benefits of the rank and file employees. That is the correct thing to do when the country is in the middle of hardship like this,” he said.
Pamaran was the Sandiganbayan's first presiding justice when it was created in 1978 by then-President Ferdinand Marcos.