Transparency urged in choosing next chief justice

Senator Teofisto Guingona III. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines – The process in selecting the next chief justice should be transparent, Senator Teofisto Guingona III on Friday said.

In a chance interview, Guingona said that this would be in accordance with the “principle of transparency” the Aquino administration has been pushing for.

“The public should know who is being considered, and should see the qualifications of those being considered. In consonance with the principle of transparency, dapat naman [it’s but right],” Guingona told reporters.

The statement came after the names of Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Franklin Drilon floated as among those being considered for the position.

Guingona said he has talked to Drilon who said that he was not interested in the position. He added that he did not know Escudero’s name was also floated.

Drilon was one of the 20 senators who voted for the conviction of Corona on Tuesday and has been a constant critic throughout his 44-day impeachment trial.

Meanwhile, when asked whether President Benigno Aquino III should not consider politicians, especially those belonging in the Liberal Party, Guingona gave a safe answer.

“May standards yan [There are standards], anybody who meets the standards should be considered naman [also],” Guingona said.

“The Constitution says the person should be a man of integrity, probity, loyalty, so we should go with the constitutional standards after all those are the objective standards set by the people, so those are the minimum standards and lets go by those standard,” he added when reporters asked if the next chief justice should be the exact opposite of impeached Renato Corona.

He added that the next chief justice should be loyal to the Constitution and the Filipino people.