Malacañang: Midas may resign from his position

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said on Tuesday that Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez should resign from his position subsequent to the removal of Renato Corona as chief justice.

Lacierda said that Marquez must be held liable for the supposed irregularities in the $21-million loan the World Bank granted to the judiciary.

He said, "I think the WB aide memoire where there were certain expenditures made by Marquez as court administrator… I think that should be explained."

He stressed Presidential Decree 828 indicates that Marquez can removed for cause.

Lacierda also said that Marquez can be removed if all SC justices choose to oust him.

He added, "It's up to the Chief Justice and the justices en banc whether they should allow Midas Marquez to remain as Court Administrator. We don't have a say on the matter."

On the other hand, Marquez said that he trusts the Supreme Court that he will be given due process.

He said, "I won't wait for that [charges] if they're after my head. My gauge has always been the effect of the service I give. If I think I'm no longer effective, if I think that the service is already suffering and I can no longer protect the judges and employees, I'll be the first to go."

Marquez hopes that the justices still have trust and confidence in him. — ARA