APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUSTICE DESPITE LACK OF URGENCY CONDEMNED

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUSTICE DESPITE LACK OF URGENCY CONDEMNED:

Constitutional crisis feared

BAYAN MUNA condemns Pres. Gloria Arroyo’s appointment of a Chief Justice despite the constitutional prohibition and the absence of urgency to appoint a Chief Justice. This is nothing more than an attempt by Pres. Arroyo to load the dice in her favor once plunder charges are filed against her when her presidential immunity ceases on June 30, 2010.

“Sen. Noynoy Aquino is clearly the next president of the Philippines. There is no constitutional crisis that urgently requires the appointment, thanks to the people’s vigilance to ensure that there is no failure of election” said Bayan Muna representative Neri Javier Colmenares. “In fact, it is possible that this appointment could lead to a constitutional crisis if Sen. Aquino will challenge the constitutionality of the appointment as he promised during the campaign. Paalis na lang si Pangulong Arroyo, nag iwan pa ng problema” he added.

Rep. Colmenares, who is also a human rights lawyer, said that the Supreme Court decision in De Castro vs. JBC only discusses the submission by the JBC of the list to Malacanang and cannot therefore be used to justify the appointment of the Chief Justice. “Bayan Muna intends to file many cases not only against Pres. Arroyo but also her subordinates for graft and corruption, extra judicial killings and electoral fraud. The judicial system must be perceived as impartial when trying these cases” Rep. Colmenares declared.