JUDGES and lawyers in Cebu are rallying behind Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Reynato Puno, amid reports of a plan to have him impeached.

The lawyers criticized what they said was an attempt to use the SC as a “self-serving political tool to serve selfish political ends.”

“We take this occasion to condemn any act, if there be any today and in the future, to oust the Chief Justice in order that one can perpetuate himself/herself in power,” the judges, for their part, stressed.

The judges and the lawyers issued separate statements yesterday.

Reports of Puno’s planned ouster circulated over the weekend, spurred by how he supposedly failed to promulgate a decision that involves Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong.

President Arroyo’s partymates in the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), whose candidate Olivia Paras lost to Limkaichong, are reportedly spearheading the ouster. Paras is the wife of former congressman Jacinto Paras, also a Kampi member.

‘Grand plan’

According to former Senate president Franklin Drilon, the ouster is part of a “grand plan” to remove all roadblocks against Charter change.

The Charter change issue is expected to be brought before the SC, as the House of Representatives plans to convene itself into a constituent assembly to amend the 1987 Constitution, a move the Senate opposes.

“The dark days of martial rule have taught us that for a political leader to perpetuate himself/herself in power and become a dictator, he/she can destroy the judiciary simply by appointing a Supreme Court Chief Justice and Justices ready and willing to legitimize the dictatorship. Never again!” read the statement from the judges.

Puno’s philosophy

“We see the Chief Justice as one who has stood firmly for judicial independence and lived by his philosophy ‘Espouse no ideology but constitutionalism; uphold no theology by rule of law.’ Thus he is an obstacle to any political leader who wants to destroy our democracy in order to stay forever in power and place our country under the rule of men and not of law,” it added.

The lawyers, on the other hand, said the country’s laws are not implemented. However, “those tasked to make the laws are more interested in sowing confusion and conflict” than in making laws.

“Forcing through the issue of Charter change, at this time of serious financial and global crunch, and our dire situation, is shameless, self-serving and a big disservice to a country already mired in grinding poverty and catastrophes, both natural and man-made,” they added. (KNR)

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(January 14, 2009 issue)
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