SC dismisses petition against ICI

THE Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday dismissed a petition challenging the constitutionality of Executive Order (EO) No. 94, which established the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to investigate anomalies in government flood control projects in the country.

In a resolution written by Associate Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan, the High Court’s en banc ruled that the petition failed to meet the “basic requirements for judicial review,” specifically citing a violation of the hierarchy of courts doctrine.

According to the SC brief shared with the media, the justices emphasized that “while direct recourse to the SC is allowed in exceptional cases, the petition failed to cite any compelling reason to bypass the lower courts.”

The tribunal found that the petitioners, Jacinto V. Paras, Manuelito Delos Reyes Luna, and Ferdinand S. Topacio, failed to establish an actual case or controversy as they did not show “that their rights were violated, or that EO 94 adversely affected them.” — Erika Mae P. Sinaking