MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Women Judges Association Inc. declared its full support for Chief Justice Renato Corona.
During the 25th convention of the PWJA, its President, Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro said in her opening remarks “they care for you [Coron] and are always praying for you as you lead the Judiciary in upholding Judicial Independence, observance of the Rule of Law”.
De Castro told the women judges that Corona’s presence showed that “it’s business as usual in the Supreme Court.”
“The Chief Justice is working in earnest and daily attending judiciously to [his] tasks,” she said.
Last January, the PWJA also came up with a Manifesto of Support for Corona.
“The Philippine Women Judges Association (PWJA), hereby manifests its all out support to the quest for Judicial Independence and the respect for the rule of law, and toward this end, we join the Honorable Chief Justice Renato C. Corona in fighting for the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary from whoever would attempt to trample the same and put to naught what has been enshrined in the Constitution of the Philippines,” the Manifesto read.
“Knowingly or unwittingly, the Impeachment Proceedings against the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has besmirched and destroyed the image of the Judiciary as a whole, especially because of the massive use of propaganda and other techniques purposely to gain public sympathy, even when the methods used are not in accordance with the standards of law and ethics. We, the women Judges, do believe that public perception does play an important role in portraying the integrity and independence of the judiciary, and any move to taint its integrity and independence, will erode public trust and confidence, to which we must abhor and put to a stop,” the manifesto further stated.