Aquino speech ‘disturbed’ justices, judges

MANILA, Philippines—Justices of the Supreme Court and some members of the judiciary were disturbed by the speech of President Aquino that took a jab at the Supreme Court, particularly Chief Justice Renato Corona, according to the SC spokesman.

Jose Midas Marquez, who is also court administrator, said, “It is not at all unusual for the executive branch to disagree with the judicial branch but what is considerably unusual is for the Chief Executive (Aquino) to look down on members of the judiciary in public…as the Chief Justice sat speechless, motionless and expressionless because of the requirements of protocol.”

Aquino, at the first National Criminal Justice Summit held at the Manila Hotel on Monday, criticized the controversial decisions made under the Corona-led High Court, including the junking of the Truth Commission he created to investigate the alleged corruption in the Arroyo administration.

The High Court spokesman said he talked to some Supreme Court justices and justices of the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan and other judges of the third-level courts in his capacity as court administrator and that they thought the President’s tirade was made at the wrong forum.

Marquez said it was quite disturbing that the speech was delivered at an event organized by the Supreme Court itself in coordination with the Departments of Justice and of the Interior and Local Government.

He added that while they welcome checks and balances among co-equal branches of government, the proper settings and circumstances and decorum should be taken into consideration.

“We welcome checks and balances but it (the speech) can be done in other forums,” Marquez said.

“It must likewise be recognized that no one department has overruling influence over the other regardless of how popular one branch is at a given period of time as the accumulation of all powers in the same hands whether one, a few or many or whether appointed or elected may justly be the very definition of tyranny,” Marquez added.

Marquez said that had they known the content of the speech, he would have advised the Chief Justice not to attend the event.