‘SC is indeed Arroyo court’ (5:07 p.m.)

MANILA -- Malacanang upheld that the Supreme Court (SC) can be called “Arroyo Court” since most of its justices are appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“It is really Arroyo’s Court because most of them are appointed by the President, it just so happened that she needs to appoint because there were retirees and resignations,” deputy presidential spokesperson Charito Planas said in a press briefing Friday.

Planas meanwhile downplayed that “Arroyo Court” does not mean that the SC serves at the pleasure of the President and will be accommodating to all her wishes.

She said that it has no difference to what was coined as Aquino and Marcos Constitution, which was named after two late presidents Corazon Aquino and Ferdinand Marcos, respectively.

She stressed that over the nine years of Arroyo’s presidency, it is inevitable to have no resignation or retirement in the justice system. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)