DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 15 has ordered former Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairperson Maria Belen Sunga-Acosta and her lawyer to clarify their statements online and provide reasons that will prevent them from being held in contempt of court.
The show cause order signed by Judge Mario Duaves stated that Acosta’s “official statement” on June 3, 2024 circulated on various online platforms and posted in different media outlets appeared to have been made, issued, and caused to be published from her end.
Duaves instructed Acosta and her lawyer, Israelito Torreon, to explain Acosta’s official statement, which allegedly contains “extremely incorrect facts that corrupted the true nature and substance of the court's orders and processes.”
The judge highlighted Acosta's erroneous claim that the dismissal of her quo warranto petition had been reversed and that the court had accepted her request to reconsider its previous decision to dismiss her petition against new MinDA chairman Leo Tereso Magno.
“In doing so, you (Acosta and Torreon) have caused unnecessary confusion to the public amounting to improper conduct tending to degrade the administration of justice and judicial processes of this Court,” Duaves said in an order released on Tuesday, June 4.
The court said that there was no record of Acosta’s motion for reconsideration being granted. Duaves directed Acosta and Torreon to submit their written explanation under oath within 10 days and to show cause why they should not be cited in contempt.
Acosta and Torreon were also directed to remove the misleading official statement from social media and other platforms within the same period. Failure to comply with the directives shall be deemed a waiver and shall constrain the court from imposing severe penalties provided for under the rules, the court added.
On June 3, Acosta claimed that the court had granted her motion to reconsider its earlier decision dismissing her quo warranto petition against Magno. There were also reports that she had been providing updates to the MinDA employees through Viber about the current status.
Court records, however, revealed that Acosta had only filed a manifestation on May 29, 2024, stating her intention to file a motion for reconsideration within the allowed period. No record of the court granting any such motion by June 3, 2024.
Duaves said that such misinformation has caused confusion and concern among MinDA employees amid the ongoing power struggle. The judge recused himself from the case after Acosta filed a motion for his inhibition on May 31, criticizing his swift decision-making.
In a court order on June 3, Duaves instructed that the case be re-raffled to another branch. He said that though Acosta’s motion for inhibition merits little attention, he will refrain from examining her arguments. He added that it is prudent for him to cease any further involvement in the case.