Give ‘em a chance

AFTER all the bickering, politicking and lobbying, the President has finally exercised his constitutional duty by appointing the top magistrate of the Supreme Court. Yes, we now have a Chief Justice.

At the very least, this nation can now move ahead with all the powers now maintaining equilibrium. At the very most, the Supreme Court can now move ahead, refreshed and rejuvenated hopefully, to pursue all cases awaiting its wisdom.

The impeachment of former Chief Justice Renato Corona took its toll on us as a nation not only in dividing our opinions but in inviting doubts from outside on our capabilities to run our matters.

Thus we should treat Aquino’s decision, being final and all, though inevitably not without eyebrows raised, with prudence and some discernment. It is one promise of democracy and we ought to see as a liberating exercise especially after that much tedious vacuum created by Corona’s melodramatic eviction.

Perhaps those who yet find some negatives in PNoy’s choice of Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the first woman Chief Justice, should instead find the wisdom, or even forgiveness for the forever cynical, in the President’s discretion.

She’s young, dynamic and intelligent. And if her profile would speak for her, then she deserves to be where she is now. If only to give her back what she has given this nation in all her years of service, let her lead the Supreme Court with confidence.

So I guess youth and length of stay are but wrong angles to choose in hitting the issue since what we need right now is someone with the right attributes of a leader which by all indications suggest that she possesses.

Not that our vigilance should rest totally and leave the Court alone. On the contrary, we must always keep watch on how things are being run in there. But such vigilance must only be for the right reasons and exclusive only for the general welfare.

Personal convenience must not be part of the advocacy for it will simply ruin everything. We’ve seen how greed and thirst for power do that to this country and we can no longer afford another of its breed.

So while we stay watchful of everything that’s happening around us, let’s give this moment the chance it needs. Let’s give the President the benefit of the doubt. Let’s give the Chief Justice the healthiest atmosphere in leading the judiciary.

Besides, there are remedies to resort to if it turns out to be another failure. We’re used to that by now.