At the outset of the so- called
trial of the century after former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada’s
impeachment in 2000, I can almost hear Michael Buffer’s trademarked catchphrase
“Let’s get ready to rumble.....!” announcing the ‘President Noynoy Aquino
versus Chief Justice Renato Corona’ match at the Senate of the Philippines
impeachment court that has disappointed more Filipinos in the recent months.
Yes, the commotion between the two highest
leaders in the judiciary and the executive branches in the country is a
pandemonium that grimly affects the Filipino people. Simply put, it shouldn’t
be like that. Both bodies should respect each other and subsist to achieve the
ends of equity and justice and the general welfare every Filipino.
It’s distressing, however, that two
of the highest leaders of the country today have forgotten their Constitutional
mandate, that is, to serve the public more than their vested personal
interests. Yet, it is evident from the recent actions between the judiciary and
the executive branches of their immaturity and neglect to the true needs of the
people, more so, of breaching the so called ‘public trust.’
For the first time in Philippine
history, the leaders of the Executive and Judicial branches of the government
had come to the open, firing their accusations to each other with dismay and
arrogance. The President accused of bullying the Chief Justice, while the
latter accused the former of disrespect and lack of civility.
Since Aquino was sworn to office in
June 2010, he vowed to ‘cleanse’ the government by ‘removing from public office
and hold liable those who have transgressed the law.’ His first move was the
creation of the Truth Commission which was tasked to investigate the alleged
corruption and cheating scandals that hounded the nine-year Arroyo
administration. Aquino eyed former SC Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. to lead
the commission.
 |
| SCRA. The MMSU College of Law where the author takes his Llb/Juris Doctor is equipped with facilities such as the law library where it houses annotated Supreme Court Reports. |
Thus, in another blow to President Noynoy’s
administration, the Supreme Court headed by Corona has declared
unconstitutional the much trumpeted Truth Commission. Voting 10-5, the Supreme
Court ruling effectively barred the prosecution of former President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo and other officials and parties involved in alleged scandals
under the previous administration.
The majority, among others, held
that EO 1 (Executive Order 1) which attempted to create the Truth Commission
violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution in as much as it
singles out for investigation the reports of graft and corruption in the
previous administration.
Then on, the cold war between the
executive and legislative branches of the government fired up. For the first
time a President boldly expressed his overly dismay against the judicial branch
of the government while the latter stood with its decisions without any word of
reprisal against the highest leader of the land.
In retaliation, the Chief Executive
of the country publicly humiliated the chief magistrate of the highest
tribunal, who was just an inch away from him on the occasion of a very
important summit and in front of many morally and intellectually upright folks.
The act was appalling. Majority of whom who were present in that particular
occasion were members of the Bar. Beyond imagination, the speech delivered by
President Aquino was no less than a slap in the face of the officers and
members of the court, more so to the Chief Justice who seemed to have been
subdued by what he just heard.
Arrogant, disrespectful, lack of
civility, pathetic, megalomaniac, political dog—these were the words used to
describe each other that Aquino and Corona blatantly expressed in their word
wars which was published, viewed and heard in local and international media.
Virtually, the Malacanang Palace portrayed the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice as
a protector of the villains in the past administration.
Diverse reactions from the masses
surfaced. Mostly were in disgust over the two warring heads. To some, there was
actually nothing new—our dear Philippines have been lost for many decades due
to precarious political situations.
Some said that the Aquino
administration is disrespectful to the highest tribunal and has encroached into
the independence of the judiciary. On one hand, the Supreme Court has kept its
silence until Corona broke his voice a day before the impeachment trial and
bravely announced that the President’s reason for putting him in the hot tub is
plainly to vindicate his personal qualms.
Whatever the reason or reasons are,
the on- going impeachment trial in the Senate is another sabotage in the
political and economic sectors of the country. Time and again, the oligarchs in
the three branches of the government have become the source of unsound situation
that has put more Filipinos disgruntled with the breed of leaders this country
has.
To many, the prosecution of Chief
Justice Corona is an indication that the democratic system in this country is
evident. However, it cannot also be concealed that the same system is thwarted
and garnished by corrupt, ill- mannered, and feeble- minded public officials
who have become the transgressors of law in the front line.
On a personal opinion, the three
branches of the government, as an underlying principle, are mandated to serve
and protect the interest and the general welfare of the masses. This principle
is well entrenched in the Constitution—the fundamental law of this country. Yet,
such duty is impaired due to political interests and gluttony of power which
has left this country behind the shadows of its neighbouring Asian nations.
While it is true that compared to
other countries, democracy so to speak, in the Philippines is well recognized,
there is an urgent need for a major facelift and work out the details of our
democratic system—to direct growth and shape our future all in conformity with
the traditions and culture of our race.
Consequently, the Philippine
problem on politics and the so- called ‘democracy’ should be discussed in the
light of true and real statesmanship—in a plane far above narrow, petty arguing
regarding bribery, bossism, demagoguery, feuds, scandals—for these exists
everywhere even in the most enlightened nations. After all, this country needs
more reconstruction to re-establish its marred name, the Pearl of the Orient.
The political annals of this
country have been blemished in countless times and patent with the notion that
whenever a new political leader assumes power, the first move is to eliminate
personalities that were appointed by previous administration. Vindication,
avenge, conviction, cleansing, towards the right path? Whatever you call it, it
does not make sense.
In other countries like the
superpower United States, republicans and democrats, despite of their varying
policies and political beliefs, they forge a harmonious working relationship
for their citizens. So that at the end of the day, the general welfare of their
people, justice and equity, and stable economy is delivered.
Our dear Philippines on the other
hand, is also best served by our leaders- the other way around. Political coalitions
simply stand ground on their crooked principles and remain adversaries until
they end up instituting court action to get rid of their political foes from
public office. They call that democracy. I simply call it ‘democrazy.’
One thing is clear though—
democracy has been abused as an insensible arsenal of the political crooks of
this country in order to bend the rule of Law.
Whatever the outcome of the
impeachment trial, the personal interests of the two highest leaders would
still benefit the most. Whether or not Corona will be exonerated and the State
will be justified with its accusations, everything stays the same except that
the results of the trial will form part as a newly established jurisprudence
which will become as a condition precedent later on to another impeachment
trial of an unwanted public official.
On the move is the grand ‘Coronation’. I wonder when do we draw closer
to a great evolution?
oOo
