Chief Justice’s inhibition ‘a blow vs democracy’

Thursday, December 1, 2011
CHIEF Justice Renato Corona must not give in to pressure to inhibit himself from cases involving Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said Thursday, warning that doing so will be a blow against democracy.
Santiago, a former judge, said groups calling for Corona to sit out cases involving the former President who appointed him are out of line and are setting a “dangerous” precedent.
“If a howling mob is allowed to pressure the Chief Justice or any justice to inhibit, that would serve as a calamitous precedent. Any litigant would then be able to pressure an impartial judge to inhibit, in order to obtain a group decision from the substitute,” she said.
She said the 1987 Constitution does not grant anyone, “no matter how strident or self-righteous,” the power to choose which judge will hear which cases. Cases at the Supreme Court and in other courts are routinely raffled off and inhibition from cases is a personal decision for judges.
Party-list groups Akbayan and Bayan Muna have cited Corona’s ties with the former President as a conflict of interest. Corona was on Arroyo’s staff when she was vice president, and later served as her legal adviser and acting executive secretary while she was president.
Akbayan has threatened to impeach Corona should he refuse to inhibit from Arroyo cases.
A new group, Bantay Gloria Movement, also filed a petition with the court formally calling for Corona’s inhibition.
Among those who filed the petition on behalf of the Bantay Gloria Movement were former Akbayan representative Rissa Hontiveros-Baraquel and Leah Navarro of the Black and White Movement, both of whom supported President Benigno Aquino III in the 2010 elections.
Santiago may have been referring to the Bantay Gloria Movement when she referred to a group “suffering from doctrinal confusion on the nature of a tripartite democracy. They want to be higher than the Supreme Court.”
“It is improper for the political branches to influence the judicial branch. But this group thinks that it is a fourth branch. You have to admire their hubris,” she said.
Senators Franklin Drilon and Francis Pangilinan have already called on Corona to stay away from Arroyo cases, saying he is biased for the former President.
Drilon said Corono voted in favor of Arroyo on 19 cases brought before the Supreme Court. Both are members of the Liberal Party, which the president heads.
“If it can be said that Corona might be biased in favor of Arroyo, it can also be said that (Associate Justice Antonio) Carpio might be biased against Arroyo. We cannot allow the composition of the Supreme Court in a certain case to be determined by an unelected exterior group on the basis of the group’s own political biases,” Santiago said.
The Palace and the Supreme Court have been at odds since Corona was appointed in the last days of the Arroyo administration. The President himself refused to take his oath before Corona, saying he was a “midnight” appointee of Arroyo.
The two branches last clashed in November, when the Justice department refused to heed an injunction on a watch list order it issued against Arroyo and her husband.
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the temporary restraining order issued by the court was not yet executory.(Jonathan de Santos/Sunnex)
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2011/12/01/chief-justice-s-inhibition-blow-vs-democracy-193541

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Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

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Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

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