MANILA, Philippines Three Supreme Court (SC) justices inhibited

from hearing the petition of Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos and 6
local officials seeking to stop the congressional probe into the alleged
misuse of P66.45 million provincial tobacco funds.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Associate Justice Diosdado

Peralta, and Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr have inhibited from the
case, SC spokesperson Theodore Te announced in a press conference
on Tuesday, July 18.

The case was initially raffled off to Peralta. Given his inhibition, the
deliberations have been reset for July 25.

While Te did not mention their reasons for inhibition, Sereno and Reyes
had previously issued a joint statement urging the House committee
on good government and public accountability to recall the show
cause order it issued against 3 Court of Appeals (CA) justices from the
Special 4th Division.