JUstice LOurdes Sereno is new Chief Justice of the Philippines

What is the message being sent by the President when he appointed the youngest justice as head of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, and not Justice Antonio Carpio whom everyone thinks was the "shoo-in" bet?

Well, President Aquino simply wants continuity in the judiciary. With Lourdes Sereno at the helm, she will not only be the first female Chief Justice, she will also be one of the longest serving one. Surely, expect a institutionalization of reform measures and expect none of the wishy-washy decisions rendered by the SC in the past due to well, corporate and political pressures. 

Sereno seemed the person expected to normalize the operations of the judicial bureaucracy which came under extreme pressure during the impeachment trial of its head, former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Sereno's name is also "clean". She has not been dragged into any anomalous transactions during her time serving in the judiciary. Sereno kept her integrity intact, which was one of the factors, according to insiders, that convinced the President to appoint her as replacement of Corona.

Sereno's appointment also sends a clear message to investors and foreign observers---that the Philippine government wants stability. That here, expect a fair decision since reformers within government has already cleansed the judicial bureaucracy of misfits and grafters. Surely, expect a New Supreme Court of the Philippines beginning today, when Sereno takes her oath of office before President Benigno S. Aquino. 

Anti-Corona losing steam

Here's the dilemma.


The interest of Malacanang is really an expeditious ending to this impeachment trial. The more this trial drags, the better chance for Corona to be acquitted of all charges.


Seriously, this case could actually last for forty weeks, by which time, public sentiment against Corona would have seriously been reversed. And by that time, it would be hard for anti-Corona forces to muster enough numbers to conduct a "people power" exercise against the Chief Justice.


However, I give credit to the prosecution because they are slowly closing in on Corona, with all these pieces of evidence showing real properties bought by the Coronas without being shown in his SALN.


I heard that the prosecution will force the Senator-judges to vote on Article 2, which is sufficient to impeach Corona. This explains why Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile is expediting the offering of evidence and making it easy for the prosecution to present and enter these as pieces of evidence. 


I know the defense knows this but the more pieces of evidence, irrefutable evidence at that presented before the impeachment court, the more chances of a guilty verdict for the beleaguered Chief Justice. The problem really is, the public's waning interest about the case. The trial has been, what, on its fourth week, and since the prosecution has failed to present their most explosive witness yet, this is beginning to turn into a dragging courtroom drama which is interesting only to those who love reading John Grisham or watching mock courts. 


Lastly, as time passes, Noynoy Aquino is building for himself, more enemies, while Corona continues to get support from unlikely sources, something of a political phenomenon, if you will.