Justice Secretary Leila De Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima doesn’t quite agree with Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares’ claim that the country’s chief tax collector has the edge to get the vacant post of Supreme Court Chief Justice.
De Lima told reporters Thursday that the five most senior justices of the high tribunal who had been nominated to the Judicial and Bar Council, led by acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, had the lock on the seat of ousted top magistrate Renato Corona.
“The insiders are the ones who truly have an edge,” De Lima said. “The insiders are already there—they know the system, they know what the justices do, they know the ins and outs of the system and of the judiciary.”
The people who have been nominated have their respective competencies, she said. “Anyone can claim they have an edge over the other nominees.”
Judicial reform
Asked what she thought was her advantage, De Lima said, “I would rather (let other) people extol my virtues.”
De Lima said the 24th Chief Justice must give importance to judicial reforms in the aftermath of Corona’s ouster and amid the allegations of corruption in the judiciary.
“The mind-set toward judicial reforms. That is what is needed. The judiciary and the Supreme Court as an institution have been gravely affected by the impeachment proceedings,” she said.
“Judicial reforms should involve speedier dispensation of justice and, of course, getting rid of scalawags within the judiciary.”
She said the next Chief Justice should also show a “high sense of independence” to shield the judicial institutions from unwarranted political influence.
“It’s high time that we restore the confidence and trust of the general public to the judicial institutions. Judicial reforms should be the top agenda,” De Lima added.
Henares and De Lima, who have been nominated for the vacant post, have been described by administration critics as Mr. Aquino’s “attack dogs” in the Corona impeachment trial.
Originally posted at 08:48 pm | Thursday, June 14, 2012