I AM not a lawyer, but it does not mean
that I do not care about the legal issues in our country right now. I may not
be able to discourse on legal matters, but it does not mean that I do not know
what is right and what is wrong. I hope lawyers, judges and justices in our judicial
system, even up to the Supreme Court, are not in the illusion that they can
deceive simple people with their legal jumbo mumbo, and that we the people will
just accept their own definitions of what is right and what is wrong, of what
is legal and what is illegal.
The circus of the present trial of Chief
Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno on the Quo Warranto by the Supreme Court is a case
in point. It is becoming clear that the three branches of government, which are
meant to be independent of each other for proper check and balance, are
presently conniving to oust CJ Sereno. No less than Duterte himself has several
times declared that he wants Sereno out. He even has ordered congress to
impeach her. The present Solicitor General of the Office of the President is
the one behind the Quo Warranto petition. The Lower House of Congress is
manipulating the impeachment process and speeding it up.
It even has the nerve
to summon the Chief Justice herself and other justices to stand before them. CJ
Sereno did not accede, knowing full well that they were overstepping their
bounds, but five justices did. They lowered themselves to accuse the Chief
Justice of their petty gripes and hurts before a body that has no business to
meddle in the affairs of the judiciary. Now these same justices - De Castro, Jardeleza, Peralta, Tijam and Bersamin – do
not even inhibit themselves from discussing the Quo Warranto petition when they
have shown that they are clearly biased against the Chief Justice. They have
axes to grinds against her! They had already accused her in the congressional
hearings and now they are going to judge her! Shame on them! What justice can
come out when the accusers are the judges at the same time?
This Quo Warranto petition is itself a farce. Why has the once august
Supreme Court lowered itself to hear this petition? The Quo Warranto is a
petition to remove a public official from her/his office because of a defect on
his/her appointment. It has been ruled by the same Supreme Court several times
that an impeachable official can be removed from office only by impeachment.
The chief justice is an impeachable official, ergo… Furthermore the Quo
Warranto can only be invoked within one year of the appointment and taking
office of the said official. Chief Justice Sereno has been in office as chief
justice for already five years!
Why the circus then?
It is crystal clear that the justices in the present Supreme Court are
allowing themselves to be used--and also perhaps bought?--by Duterte.
If CJ Sereno is removed Duterte will appoint the new chief justice. His
capture of the judiciary will then be complete. He would now be able to do what
he wants--pass any law, change the constitution, declare Martial Law all over
the country--without any fear that his actions would be opposed or nullified
by the Court.
Duterte will completely control
judicial appointments to Supreme Court and all courts and thus pack the
judiciary with his own people.
The chief justice is the head of the
Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) which currently hears the complaint filed
by Marcos against VP Leni. With Duterte’s own appointed CJ, the PET can easily
be manipulated to favor his pet, Marcos!
It is imperative for Duterte to
remove Sereno. He thus unleashes his presidential offices, the weak congress
people who are at his beck and call, and now the justices who are willing to
stake the independence of the judiciary for their petty dislikes and ambitions.
Justices of the Supreme Court, where
will you bring justice and democracy?
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