Aquino doing bold moves for reforms, says De Lima

MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino is doing the bold moves, including throwing jabs at Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, to be able to show that reforms have been done at the end of his term, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said Thursday.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima

“The President is not a dictator. That is a very wrong perspective. The President is doing all of these bold moves lest we may not be able to show concrete reforms at the end of the term of this administration,” De Lima told reporters.

She said there are many people in the government who are resistant to change.

“These resistors are blocking us from performing our mandate. That kind of attitude and mindset, they think they are exempt from accountability,” De Lima said adding that she was alarmed by the language used by Corona in his speech Wednesday before officers and employees of the Judiciary.

“The Chief Justice is using that kind of language is a no-no…I am  beginning to wonder, is that his true character,” De Lima said.

Corona in his speech called Aquino a dictator and accused the Executive of  flexing political muscle to gain control of the Judiciary.