CJ Sereno stresses value of judicial independence, fiscal autonomy anew

MANILA, Philippines—Citing the judiciary has not been receiving even one percent of the national budget, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has reiterated her call on judicial independence and fiscal autonomy through a budgetary support.

Sereno in a testimonial dinner Friday at the Manila Hotel for retiring government chairpersons urged the public to rally behind the judiciary “to continue to fight fiscal autonomy and genuine independence through budgetary support.”

The chief justice said it is important for constitutional bodies to have budgetary support to be able to deliver justice to the people in a fast and reliable manner.

“The people have long hungered for this,” she said.

The chief magistrate, however, said “gaining this kind of independence lies in the people’s support that would guide against vicissitudes.”

She said there is a growing demand for accountability & transparency in government but the gap of resources poured into Constitutional Fiscal Autonomy Group (CFAG), composed of the Supreme Court, Office of the Ombudsman Commission on Elections (Comelec), Commission on Audit (COA), and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is “wide.”

“No longer shall politics take center stage over people’s time and attention,” she said.

“What should occupy much of people’s time is how we can build our nation brick by brick,” she added.

Sereno graced the testimonial dinner for retiring chairpersons Sixto Brillantes of the Comelec Grace Pulido-Tan of COA, Francisco Duque III of the Civil Service Commission, and Loretta Ann Rosales of CHR.

Brillantes, Tan and Duque are set to retire this February while Rosales is retiring in May.

She said she hopes “only the best for these commissions.”

“We cannot be content with none but the best for the future of the nation is at stake,” she said.

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