SUPRME COURT (SC) Associate Justice Mario Victor "Marvic" Leonen on Thursday denied reports that he requested PHP5 million for the renovation of a cottage in Baguio City that has been assigned to him.
In a statement disputing a detailed Manila Times report on the matter, Leonen claimed that his office "never endorsed" the PHP5-million proposal to renovate Cottage G at the high court's compound in the city.
"The proposal was drafted by the Supreme Court's Maintenance Division and, without having gone through my office, was placed in the Court en banc's agenda," he said, adding that he has since requested that the matter be withdrawn and it was promptly deleted.
Each of the court’s 15 associate justices is designated a cottage in the SC compound in the country's summer capital where they and their staff stay during summer session.
According to the Manila Times report, Leonen's office submitted the request to renovate Cottage G last July 17 to Deputy Clerk of Court Ma. Carina Cunanan, which is subject to approval by the court en banc, and included a master plan, detailed procurements of materials, and labor expenses.
The total cost of the renovation is PHP4,970,623.71.
The report added that the renovation request includes the landscaping of the garden which been signed by Jeanne Carla Ferrer-Becina, head of Leonen’s judicial staff. (By Benjamin Pulta)
