Palace denies Aquino failed to respect Supreme Court

Friday, December 2, 2011

MALACAÑANG on Friday defended President Benigno Aquino III for questioning several decisions made by the Supreme Court, including the ruling that allowed former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to seek medical treatment abroad.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President did not intend to "disrespect" a co-equal branch of government and merely voiced out his opinion on issues that concerns the country.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

"The President also, as a citizen, has a right to voice out his opinions on what happens in the country. We do not see it as disrespect, but more of really, what is happening to the decisions made by the Supreme Court," Valte said.

She also denied that Mr. Aquino is trying to pick a fight with the High Court.

In his speech during the 30th anniversary of the Makati Business Club Thursday evening, President Aquino expressed concern over the objectivity and impartiality of the High Court citing its "flip-flopping" decision on declaring Dinagat Island as a province and "speedy relief” it granted to the petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) made by Arroyo against the Department of Justice's watchlist order.

Valte said the President was just trying to explain the implications of the reversal of the ruling on Dinagat particularly on budget and delivery of basic services.

“What we have to understand that the cases being tried in the Supreme Court have implications to the Executive…The President said, at first, when the Supreme Court decided to declare it as a city, there was independent funds. But then the SC reversed its decision and said that Dinagat is still not qualified and still a component of Surigao. That’s when the budgetary problems comes in,” she said.

The President also questioned why the SC decided on it just for three days when it usually takes 10 days to make such rulings. “Who can avoid wondering what she did to merit such speedy relief?” Aquino asked.

“In these cases, did the Supreme Court follow its own precedents and rules? Is it then not fair of us to wonder whether objectivity has given way to partisanship? Is it then not fair of us to express concern at the direction the Supreme Court has taken?” the President added.

The President himself said that he did not issue his statement “out of disrespect and malice” but he just wanted clarification to fulfill his mandate to the Filipino people.

He also noted that the Executive is “not out to dictate upon the court, much less spark a constitutional crisis.”

Valte also refused to say that the President is “speaking ill” of the High Court.

“I don’t agree that he spoke ill of them. It was really more of a factual recitation of what had happened in those cases,” she said. "Those were questions that needed to be asked. We do not take that as a dare nor as a challenge nor as disrespect nor speaking ill of another branch of government. Those questions were legitimate questions that can and needed to be asked," she added. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)