CBCP head tells gov’t, public: Respect SC as interpreter of laws

By: Tina G. Santos - 10 years ago

Archbishop Socrates Villegas. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has urged the country’s political leaders and the public to respect the Supreme Court after President Aquino publicly challenged the high court’s ruling on his disbursement acceleration program and even warned of a clash between co-equal branches of government.

In a statement, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas said that “the President’s views are important and his right to express himself must be respected” but the prelate stressed that Supreme Court must also be respected as the institution assigned by the Constitution to interpret the country’s laws.

“The President has expressed himself on the Supreme Court’s decision in respect to DAP….but it is equally important for our people to hold fast to the basic tenets of the democratic way of life enshrined in our Constitution — it is for the judiciary to interpret the law with definitiveness in the process of resolving justiciable issues.” said Villegas.

The CBCP president even suggested that the government apologize for its error in implementing DAP.

“We must respect the Supreme Court. Where there was error, there must be humble admission and immediate rectification,” he stressed.

The CBCP president made the statement hours after Mr. Aquino addressed the nation in a televised speech where he defended the DAP and said that it has improved the country in many ways.

The Supreme Court declared parts of the DAP as unconstitutional on July 1, stating that the President cannot juggle government funds unless these have been declared savings from implemented government projects.

Villegas said that “the rule of law is a fundamental requirement–an objective condition–of the common good.”

“That the rule of law is at all times safeguarded is therefore a moral concern. When the rule of law is compromised, the common good becomes its victim,” he explained.

“The CBCP prays that our nation will tread the path of peace, and that our national leaders may truly be humble and respectful of our democratic institutions so that our most sacred freedoms and liberties are always upheld,” Villegas said.

In a previous statement, Villegas also said that the investigation into the misuse of state funds should not be selective and should not spare administration allies.

“A government that professes to tread the straight path must remain true to that profession and must be willing to let go of the corrupt in its own ranks,” he said.

Reiterating Church calls for accountability, Villegas was referring to President Aquino tuwid na daan (straight path) slogan.

The CBCP head also called on the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Office of the Ombudsman to tell the nation where the DAP funds went.

“While, indeed, in many cases, it would be impractical, unhelpful even, to undo every project funded by what the high court has ruled to be unconstitutional means, we must nevertheless know how these monies were used, for where there was an illegal and immoral application of funds, there must be restitution,” Villegas declared.