She may end up being the longest serving Chief Justice but this early, Maria Lourdes Sereno is facing a challenge that may determine the future of the judiciary’s influence and its role as shaper of public policy and eventually, public opinion.
In a rare press conference, Chief Justice Sereno reiterated the oath taken by many of her predecessors, including the former chief justice whose tenure was cut short by an impeachment
triggered by the same President who appointed her.
“The Constitution designed the order of things and by constitutional design, the judiciary must rule as it should, even when and inevitably (it has) to say what acts transgress constitutional boundaries,” she told reporters.
One of these acts is the unfavorable ruling on the Aquino administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), which covered many projects that the President insists are above board and have benefited many Filipinos.
Since the President can’t afford to confront the Supreme Court head on, he brought his case before the bar of public opinion with even less favorable results.
Revived talk about Charter change to extend the President’s limits was a dangerous one for Aquino to flirt with.
His chief allies brought it up until a public backlash that was supported by even his key allies in Congress, corrected that adventure.
Aquino was quick to state categorically that he won’t run for a second term, but he remains serious about his intention to clip the powers of the Supreme Court, some of whose members he believes are overreaching and meddling in government efforts to undertake necessary reform.
When the President and the High Court do battle, it makes citizens worry whether the country will come out of the fray in better shape.
Challenging the Supreme Court with orders to show the statement of assets and liability of justices, is no innocent assertion of transparency.
Questions posed about the nature and use of the Judicial Develpment Fund (JDF), a deep discretionary fund at the disposal of the highest court of the land, can provoke unexpected results.
Rather than face Congress and argue with lawmakers in budget committee hearings, Sereno chose to take her case to the Filipino people through the media.
While every courtesy is accorded to her as Chief Justice, even she acknowledged that the Filipino people’s faith in the judiciary is paramount to make the country’s justice system work.
It is that faith and trust that she and every succeeding President must work to uphold and respect, if they are to lead the country to stable growth and prosperity.
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