The Supreme Court (SC) resolved Tuesday to convene its Ethics Committee to look into allegations of plagiarism in the decision involving Filipino “comfort women” deserted by Japanese soldiers during World War II.

Court Administrator and SC Spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said the SC came up with the action after receiving a letter from Associate Justice Mariano C. del Castillo where he explained his side regarding the controversial ruling.

Del Castillo was the one who penned the decision in Vinuya v. Romulo in which the High Court turned down the petition of at least 70 comfort women to compel the Philippine government to seek an explicit apology and reparations from Japan.

He has been accused of plagiarizing the works of American legal experts in writing the court’s decision.

During their full court session Tuesday, Marquez said the justices referred Del Castillo’s letter to the Ethics Committee.

It will be the first time the Ethics Committee will be convened under the new SC internal rules which was promulgated in May.