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CHIEF Justice Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno has expressed hope that the incoming administration of President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte will be as “supportive” of judicial reforms as outgoing President Benigno S.C. Aquino III.
“I look forward to a Congress and a President who will be as supportive of judicial reform as this President and this Congress have been,” Mrs. Sereno said in an interview with reporters at the sidelines of the Supreme Court’s 115thanniversary celebration.
She said it was under Mr. Aquino that the judiciary first received the funds to build its own infrastructure and even obtain the “right amount” of multi-year obligational authority (MYOA) for the automation of its information system.
“I think it is important for our standing as a democracy and as a stable country that the judiciary is allowed to do its job well,” she said. “We hope to become the gold standard for public service.”
MUM ON DEATH PENALTY, EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS
Mrs. Sereno, however, said it would be premature for her to comment on the incoming administration’s proposal to restore the death penalty as well as pronouncements favoring extrajudicial killings.
“Until that is a law, it does not yet become a justiciable matter, and even if it becomes a law, of course, you already know the requirements before a justiciable matter ripens before us,” she said. “Until then, we will really need to be keep our peace on this and observe.”
Asked about the feasibility of the Duterte camp’s proposal to perform 50 hangings a month, she hinted “the political will and the logic of such a move will be maybe evident in the months to come.”
For now, Mrs. Sereno said that judiciary’s role is to ensure that “the constitutionally identified values of the people are upheld.”
She said she was eager to “see in what way that objectives of the government within the parameters of the Constitution can be met.” -- Vince Alvic Alexis F. Nonato.
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