Former Minister Justyne Caruana helped draft the law on the commissioner of standards in public life which she is now contesting in court, rule of law group Repubblika said on Thursday.

She had even described the legislation as "a monument to the government" when she spoke about it in parliament in July 2016, the group said in a statement.

Caruana on Wednesday filed legal action challenging the constitutional validity of the law whereby she was targeted for investigation by the commissioner and found to have breached ethics when she awarded a contract to a close friend.

She filed the action within hours of resigning as education minister. Her lawyers said that not only did the law lack the necessary safeguards to ensure that an investigated person was ensured a fair hearing, but the former minister was also “seriously preoccupied” by the way the whole process was applied in her regard. 

Repubblika said Caruana should heed President's recent advice to politicians and not treat the people as idiots.  

It was Caruana who said in parliament that during the drafting of the law, care had been taken to respect the principles of natural justice and equity so that proceedings did not prejudice anyone. 

She had boasted of having been part of a select group who worked on the drafting of the law, where they sought 'high standards of democratic principles' with sufficient checks and balances that did parliament proud.

"When in a hole, stop digging," Repubblika advised Caruana.

Her speech is available at  https://parlament.mt/en/12th-leg/plenary-session/ps-415-11072016-0600-pm/