TRO on Arroyo travel ban, not Hacienda ruling, sparked row with SC—Palace

MANILA, Philippines—The temporary restraining order the Supreme Court slapped on the government’s travel ban on former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was “the trigger point” that caused the deterioration of relations between the executive branch and the judiciary, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda denied that the Supreme Court decision ordering the distribution of the land in the Hacienda Luisita sugar estate owned by President Benigno Aquino’s family had something to do with the Chief Executive’s series of tirades against Chief Justice Renato Corona and the high tribunal.

“The trigger point really was the TRO. The TRO compelled us to think why is the government being prevented from presenting their side?” Lacierda said in a news briefing in Malacañang on Thursday afternoon.

Lacierda wouldn’t comment on suggestions that Aquino was laying the groundwork for the impeachment of the Chief Justice, saying Aquino has not disclosed his plans on the matter.

He did say that it wouldn’t be the first time as impeachment proceedings were started before against Chief Justice Hilario Davide. He also cited a similar case against a Chief Justice in the US.