Palace chides Aquino for ‘irresponsible’ statements

MANILA -- Malacañang chided Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino over his claim that he will debate on the present administration’s lapses and will not recognize the chief justice appointed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said it is better for Aquino, the Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer, to focus more on his proposed program of government instead of waging a “campaign of hate” against the present administration.

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Another Palace ally, House Speaker Prospero Nograles, describes as “dangerous” the statement made by Aquino regarding the appointment of a new chief justice.

“That's a dangerous statement because the final legal arbiter in any legal conflict or issue is still the SC (Supreme Court) itself. The Chief Executive only implements. This will cause chaos when the Chief Executive refuses to recognize a co-equal body,” he said.

Aquino surprised the political and legal community earlier when he announced that if elected as President of the Philippines, he would not recognize the chief justice appointed by President Arroyo.

The senator was also reported to have said that the associate justice who accepts appointment risks his or her membership in the high tribunal.

But Presidential Political Adviser Prospero Pichay Jr. said it is irresponsible for the senator to threaten members of the judiciary.

Echoing Nograles’ statement, Pichay said the Executive Department, granting that Aquino gets to head it, has no right to impose its will on the Judicial Department, a co-equal branch of the government.

“You do not threaten a co-equal branch of government,” Pichay told Aquino. “If you become the President, you have to respect the judiciary.”

Issues were raised just recently as to whether President Arroyo would name the new head of the SC or the task must be left to the new president, as Chief Justice Reynato Puno is set to retire on May 17 as he reaches the age of 70.

Remonde, however, told Aquino to stick to the issues of his competence, track record, and government programs rather focus on the government’s lapses and the appointment of a new chief justice, which according to the press secretary has already been debated at length by legal experts.

“In other words, people will appreciate him more if he will be more constructive rather than wage a campaign of hate against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” he said.

“I’m afraid what they will be doing will be to continue to peddle lies against the administration and the President at saka ang (and further the) hate campaign,” Remonde added. “Let’s have a positive campaign instead of a campaign of hate. A campaign of hate is not going to take our country anywhere. It will only lead us to perdition.”

The Palace official further said the government is ready for any potshot Aquino may throw at it regarding its supposed lapses.

Aquino's spokesman, Quezon Representative Erin Tañada, for his part, defended the senator, saying there is nothing irresponsible or arrogant in the LP standard bearer’s statement.

“He was just stating the fact that the Constitution should be followed and that there should be no midnight appointments. The appointment of a Chief Justice in waiting is a midnight appointment since Chief Justice (Reynato) Puno has not retired from the Supreme Court,” he said.

Tañada said Aquino is only respecting the usual process once a chief justice retires, wherein an Acting Chief Justice is chosen among the Associate Justices until a permanent one is chosen by a process indicated in the Constitution.

The Philippine Constitution states that a President may not make any appointment within 60 days before election day, thus Arroyo's appointing powers may only be exercised until March 9.

But Malacañang maintained that Arroyo can exercise her power to appoint the next chief justice, stressing that the position should not be vacated beyond 90 days. (JMR/Angela Casauay/PNA/Sunnex)