Leonen will be an ‘ally’ of peace process in Supreme Court, say analysts

Marvic Leonen. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—An appointment of government peace chief negotiator Marvic Leonen to the Supreme Court would not be a loss to the ongoing peace talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and might benefit the peace process, two political analysts interviewed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer said on Wednesday.

Leonen was one of the six nominees to the post of Supreme Court associate justice on the shortlist of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

“In my opinion, having Leonen in the Supreme Court may even be advantageous to the peace process,” said Prof. Rommel Banlaoi, the executive director of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism.

“(Leonen) will not really disappear from the peace process even if he gets appointed to the Supreme Court,” Ramon Casiple, executive director of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform (IPER) said in a separate interview.

Both analysts did not discount the possibility that the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which the government and the MILF signed in October, and the final peace agreement, might be challenged before the high tribunal.

Even if Leonen would choose to inhibit himself from the possible cases stemming from the Framework Agreement and a final peace accord, he could still be an “ally” in the high court, said Banlaoi.

“It’s a given that because he was involved in the negotiations before, he would still be approached for advice shouldthere be an impasse. He will still help in the peace process,” Casiple said.

Casiple said that with the Framework Agreement, it would all be a matter of “filling in the blanks” for a final peace agreement, particularly in the wealth sharing and power sharing annexes.

“The substantive requirements in the peace process (as mentioned in the Framework Agreement) will not change anymore. Most of the important parts in the negotiations have already been overcome with the Framework Agreement,” Banlaoi said.

The analysts also said that any member of the government peace panel could take over as the chairman should President Aquino appoint Leonen to the high tribunal.

“The results of the negotiations are a collective decision of the panel members and their advisers, not just Leonen’s,” Banlaoi said.

Mr. Aquino has until Nov. 22 to name a new Associate Justice to fill up the seat vacated by Ma. Lourdes Sereno whom he appointed Chief Justice on Aug. 24.

The other nominees in the JBC shortlist are former Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla, Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes and CA Associate Justices Rosemari Carandang, Jose Reyes and Noel Tijam, and De La Salle University College of Law Dean Jose Manuel Diokno.