The games continue as President Rodrigo Duterte has denied involvement in moves to oust Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
The presidential denial would have everyone believe that the twice-issued call of Herminio Roque — the presidential spokesperson — for the Chief Justice to consider resigning is no form of pressure for Sereno to step down.
The President would also have everyone believe that his hands are off the move of Jose Calida — the solicitor general attached to the executive department — to ask the High Court withdraw recognition of the Chief Justice.
Why try to be dissociated from these ouster maneuvers?
To maintain a charade of respect for a co-equal branch of the government?
Though he claims innocence, one only has to listen to one of the President’s rants to realize his anti-judicial activism.
In the middle of the week, he warned judges against issuing temporary restraining orders on planned demolitions in Boracay.
He later said his warning was not a warning but a plea.
Really? A plea loaded with palpable rage and delivered with abrasive packaging?
Oh, how the wagons circle around the Chief Justice and the rest of the judiciary, with many in the branch welcoming this with glee.
But that quo warranto petition questioning the fitness for office of the Chief Justice attests to the lack of substance in the impeachment complaint.
It is telling of obsession to kick out Sereno. The Lower House has postponed the plenary vote to transmit to the Senate the articles of impeachment against her while the High Court hears the Calida petition.
The congressmen could have sent the articles for trial immediately if their evidence could secure a conviction. But they would rather save themselves the pain and let another carry out their intent.
They tremble because impeachment trials may vindicate a sitting president as in the trial and conviction of Renato Corona, but may also end in his overthrow as in the suspended impeachment trial of Joseph Estrada.
Alas for the justices. They have opened themselves to being questioned as Sereno is being questioned.
By arrogating unto themselves the power to decide whether the Chief Justice should stay or go, they are intimating that any justice may be removed by ways apart from impeachment and that the same goes for other officials who are removable only via impeachment as the Constitution stipulates.
They have also opened themselves to possible future impeachment or graft complaints.
So much for making Sereno go on leave supposedly to protect the independence and integrity of the judiciary. As far as those are concerned,
checkmate is nigh, and the three branches of the government are courting the sovereign people’s intervention.
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