Subic port chief loses court appeal

Subic port chief loses court appeal

MANILA (Reuters): The Philippine Supreme Court on Tuesday
unanimously rejected an appeal by ousted Subic freeport chief
Richard Gordon to stay on in his post, and the presidential
palace indicated it might use force to evict him.

The court, by a 13-0 vote, threw out Gordon's petition to stop
President Joseph Estrada from firing him, handing Estrada a major
legal victory in his effort to oust a political foe from the post
of administrator of the Philippines' premier investment haven.

"Now that the Supreme Court has spoken, the president believes
that finally settles the matter," a presidential spokesman told
reporters. "The president will have to fulfill his constitutional
oath to see to it that the laws are faithfully executed."

Asked if that would include using force to remove Gordon from
the freeport, the spokesman said: "It means exactly what you said
it means." At the heart of the dispute is a long-standing battle
between Gordon and Estrada over the future of Subic, dating back
to 1991 when it was a U.S. naval base.