ANY attempt to oust Chief Justice Reynato Puno would be met with widespread protests, United Opposition (UNO) president and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay warned Sunday.
“Chief Justice Puno is a moral force, and his ouster would surely galvanize the opposition and move the people into action. Removing the Chief Justice so they can advance Charter change (Cha-cha) and prolong President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s grip on power is just too much. The people will not stand for it. I hope they will stop playing with fire,” Binay said.
Binay claimed the plan to impeach Puno is tied to the Arroyo administration’s game plan to amend the 1987 Constitution and allow Mrs. Arroyo to become prime minister, thereby ensuring her continued stay in office way beyond the mandated term which will end next year.
“Remove Chief Justice Puno and you give Charter change a better chance in the Supreme Court (SC). The odds are a lot better for Cha-cha proponents,” he said.
But the opposition leader said the provocation could be deliberate.
“The Arroyo administration is playing with fire. Either they are totally insensitive to public opinion and the sentiments of the church, or they are deliberately provoking political unrest to such an extent that they could justify emergency rule. But they assume that the people will take all of these insults sitting down,” he said.
Administration congressmen have said that they intend to bring the issue of Cha-cha to the SC this year, when Mrs. Arroyo would have appointed seven new justices to replace those who are retiring.
This, the opposition, said could allow the administration to retain its influence on the High Court.
SC spokesman Midas Marquez confirmed the reported plot to unseat Puno, but said they would not confirm where it came from or who the prime movers of the move are.
Those who are seeking the Chief Justice’s ouster are reportedly relying on the non-promulgation of a purported en banc decision of the SC dated July 15, 2008, upholding the disqualification of Negros Oriental Representative Jocelyn Limkaichong.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza distanced Malacañang from reported plan to impeach Puno saying he had only read it in the papers and had no idea where such efforts are coming from.
Dureza, in a radio interview, also branded as unfair the allegations that whoever would be appointed to the SC would be there to help ensure that Cha-cha moves particularly efforts to extend the terms of the incumbent officials like President Arroyo would proceed.
Dureza said it is unfair not just to the appointee and Malacañang but to the whole processes itself which is being tarnished by such “baseless allegations” and “speculations.”
“The President appoints the members of judiciary under her constitutional powers, taking into account the competence and that the person who will be appointed will serve rightly as member of the highest tribunal of the land,” he said.
He said some people are just being too “paranoid” about the Cha-cha efforts and putting color in the appointment procedures.
The Palace official explained that there is also a procedure being followed that includes the screening and vetting of potential appointees by the Judicial and Bar Council that comes up with a list from which the President would choose from.
Dureza said previous appointments should show that the SC justices remain independent minded and decide cases on their own.
The vacancy in the SC stemmed from the retirement of Associate Justice Ruben Reyes Jr. last January 3. At least six other justices are expected to retire also this year which include Justices Adolfo Azcuna, Dante Tinga, Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Leonardo Quisumbing, and Minita Chico-Nazario who would all reach the mandatory age of retirement of 70, and Justice Alicia Austria-Martinez who opted for an early retirement in April. (AH/JMR/Sunnex)
