Corona declares war against Pnoy: says he's primus inter pares of the Supreme Court

Corona proudly proclaims he

being the Court's Primus Inter Pares

Primus inter pares is always that Latin phrase that animates a law student's conversations with friends. Freshmen knows it first that's why they include it in their banter. It is like something very new and very novel to the ears of those who heard it for the first time, that it is used to distinguish those who truly study and love the study of the Law from those who do not.

In not quite a few times, law students try to be the first among equals. They mock their friends, and join fraternities to be "first among equals". That said, this Latin phrase has become one of the most common terms uttered during challenges. And that's how Chief Justice Renato Corona spiced his speech up yesterday that he, indeed, is the primus inter pares of the Court.

There is no doubt about it--Corona is the highest among the justices, being appointed during a time of great difficulty and under a cloud of doubt. Before, fresh from his appointment as CJ by Gloria, many questions his status as primus inter pares, foremost is President Benigno S. Aquino III.

For the sake of unity, the People gave Corona the right and privilege of being the Court's first born son. Yet, it doesn't mean that Corona is not accountable to the people, oh no.

It doesn't mean that Corona has every right not to submit his SALN. It doesn't mean that Corona 's whims and caprices are tolerated and considered acceptable behavior of the Court's Highest Monarch. And it doesn't mean that Corona would just stomp his feet and use his powers to protect his principal, the former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

And really now, it does not mean that Corona would just do whatever he wants to do of the billions of pesos worth of the Court's budget.

In his speech, Corona asked why the President always try to hit him. Corona probably thought that Noynoy had a personal grudge on him or that Aquino had bad feelings towards him.

That reveals the true nature of Corona---a person who thinks that another one's hit against him is always personal. No.

Aquino and his allies hit him because of what he did---his record of voting is always in favor of Gloria. For the 19 or so cases he reviewed, he always favor his principal.

He transformed the Supreme Court into his own personal turf, something abominable to say the least.

He even turned the Judiciary into a refuge and sanctuary of those who robbed and stole big-time during the nine long years of the Arroyo regime.

Before, during Martial Law, the Supreme Court got the highest approval and trust ratings from the people, because it opposed Marcos and became the sanctuary of freedom fighters.

Now, the Court has been prostituted and became the sanctuary of those who tried to kill freedom and democracy in this country by bamboozling the elections, prostituting the voice and will of the people and wantonly turned the public coffers into their personal bank.

It is really not important who is first among equals. If you are first by title only, your boasts are empty.

But when you are first among equals, and has shown that you deserve to be first, then, the people will shower you with honors and accollates you'll never ask.

Besides, it is not being first that is important---it is being TRUE and HONEST and being worthy of initiating CHANGE.

What is so worthy of showing canine-like behavior? Is that what you call the first among equals?

The real First among equals is those who serve, not those who think that they should be served.

Why pick on the Chief Justice Renato Corona?

Will he bring down the Judiciary 

 

with him?

Where will all these things lead?

As presidential sister Kris Aquino yearns for love this Christmas, her brother wants nothing more than impeach his arch enemy, the Chief Justice of the Philippines. Yesterday, Noynoy unleashed once more a debilitating verbal punch that reeks more of an ideological rather than a personal attack. Noynoy's speech was a painful reminder of the sad truth of the existing prostitution of the Court. 

Noynoy asked the Chief Justice to "face the people"--the source of his power through the impeachment trial. The Chief Justice's spokesperson, SC administrator Midas Marquez, says that his principal will not resign but will squarely face the accusations against him. What a damned way to start the new year by listening to juicy tidbits of a Chief Justice's life.


Marquez tries to marshall the rest of the judiciary by Corona's side, but calls fell on deaf ears. Lawyers are divided. Judges are divided, showing how  incredulous they are and how they least regard Marquez's call:

“I offer to you, to all of you judges, this brotherly warning—that the forces and the issues at play here are aimed at our very offices, our sworn duties, and our important roles in our constitutional structure and administration of justice,” he said, adding:

“To be sure, the perpetrators of this dastardly assault hope to intimidate and inspire fear amongst us with the loud clamoring of their ill-advised leadership. If they can toy with the public’s mind, to put the Chief Justice at the precipice of disaster, how much easier can it be to pressure any other member of the judiciary or anyone of us?”

The people are equally divided. In the latest Pulse Asia survey, the trust ratings of the Cief Justice fell by an additional six percentage points, bringing to 38percent the people's assessment of Corona's performance. 


Fact is, 24 percent of those surveyed are most critical of Corona's performance, and this probably includes members of the Court who disagreed with the logic applied by Corona in his decisions. 


How then can Corona marshall his forces and "protect the Court from his enemies", when his very constituency thinks that he is the enemy of the Court?


IN all three branches, the Supreme Court draws its power from the trust and confidence of the people. Congress enslaves the people through its laws. It directly transacts with the people, and tries to know what they want and translate these to laws.


The Executive has all the forces of the State in its disposal. It enjoys police power. It is the most political of all the branches, yet, also beholden to the pressures exerted by the Legislature.


Why is it important to cleanse the Judiciary?


First, we are a society built not just by men, but by the laws created by men. When people lose trust on the very laws which serves as pillars of our democracy, anarchy results. When people see that injustice rules, and the rules of the elite are most dominant, dissent rages and dysfunctionalism ensues. Foreign investors will also be deathly afraid of dealing with us, solely because of the impression that the Court's integrity has been compromised.


Ironically, both the Executive and the Legislature enjoys high positive ratings, while the Judiciary lags behind. During the time of Marcos, the Supreme Court was perceived to be a refuge of reason and sometimes, a savior of persecuted people. Now, the Court enjoys the least trust and confidence from the people.


It is time to change things.