Law dean to Senate: Be prudent on impeachment case

Monday, January 2, 2012

AN OUTSTANDING law dean in the country has called on the Senate to act with prudence on the controversial impeachment trial against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Lawyer Judita Panigbatan Nafarrete, dean of the College of Law of the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City and recently awarded as an outstanding law dean of the Philippines, said the principle of separation of powers is enshrined in the Constitution and all legal disputes are all settled at the Supreme Court.

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“The Supreme Court is the final arbiter of all disputes and the courts must act with justice and equity,” said Nafarrete, who was the guest speaker during the 115th Rizal Day last December 30, 2011 at Plaza Libertad in Iloilo City.

Nafarrete also said the people are currently being affected by the conflict between two branches of government.

The impeachment stemmed from allegations of grave abuse of discretion against Corona which congressional representatives, acting as prosecutors, elevated the case to the Senate acting as judges.

“Administrations come and go but people remains and government functionaries get their mandate from the people. They must be accountable at all times to the people they have sworn to serve and it is not only a right but a duty to serve,” Nafarrete said.

“Rizal taught selflessness and the people must learned lessons from history as history kept on repeating itself,” she added.