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“ON a
final note, it must be stated that the continuing battle
of which group should sit in the governing body of the
AMWSLAI has caused doubts and uncertainties in the minds
of the hundred of thousands who have invested their life
savings therein. It affects not only the stability of
this financial institution but of the economy at large.”
This was
the Supreme Court speaking in a resolution released on
Wednesday that finally settled the ongoing leadership
row in the P14-billion Air Materiel Wing Savings and
Loan Association Inc. (Amwslai) by affirming the
validity of the January 18, 2008, election of its new
board members, led by retired Col. Ricardo Nolasco Jr.
Associate Justice Consuelo Ynares-Santiago of the
Court’s Third Division, writing for the Court, said the
motion to have the election voided is without merit.
It was
filed by former Amwslai directors Luvin Manay, Antonio
Mantuano, Jose Elaurza, Johnson Ocfemia and Anselmo
Geronimo.
The
other new board members are Thaddeus Estalilla, Morado
Mercado, Ismael Abad, Ricardo Perido, Angel Tapac,
Antonio Gumba and Cesar Toledanes. They join those
elected in 2006—Rolando Cacabelos, Odelon Mendoza and
Cedric Reyes.
The
Court said it hopes the ruling would bring back the
confidence of its members to the association, whose
membership is about 230,000 retired and active soldiers
and policemen.
In
junking the motion of Manay’s group, the SC noted the
group filed its motion without paying docket fees, an
indispensable requirement before the Court takes
cognizance of a case.
“Certainly, this Court must not tolerate, much less
reward, this manifest disregard for the rules of
procedure because it will open the floodgates to the
filing of frivolous and misplaced motions such as this.
Without doubt, this will seriously impair the orderly
administration of justice and the integrity of the
appeal process.”
The High
Court, likewise, noted that respondents are guilty of
forum shopping since a similar case is still pending at
the Court of Appeals.
The
board chairman, Nolasco, hailed the SC ruling, saying
members of the country’s second largest enlisted
personnel savings and loans association can rest assured
of continued stability and prompt service from Amwslai. |
