Is Gonzales sleeping on the job?
Feb 13th
My only advocacy is to uphold the law at all times. If Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez thinks that is a hidden agenda, then he must be really sleeping on the job.
Gonzalez, a close ally of Malacanang, claimed I have “a hidden agenda” in my efforts to block President Arroyo from appointing the successor of Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who retires on May 17.
There is a nationwide citizens’ campaign, which I am part of , to stop “an apparent orchestrated scheme” being waged by Malacanang to let President Arroyo choose the country’s next chief justice despite a clear Constitutional More >
Renounce US citizenship or quit government
Feb 8th
Is it a mere ignorance of the law or just Malacanang’s nasty habit of violating it?
Deputy Presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar must immediately renounce his American citizenship or quit his Malacanang job.
Otherwise, both Olivar and the Office of the President, the appointing authority, are guilty of violating the provisions of Republic Act 9225 or the Dual Citizenship Law.
Olivar cannot continue serving as Malacanang deputy spokesperson and hold on to his US citizenship since Section 5 of the Dual Citizenship law clearly provides that a dual citizen who accepts an appointive or elective position in the Philippine government must first renounce his More >
A call for judicial statesmanship
Feb 2nd
To avert a looming constitutional crisis, I am calling on Supreme Court Associate Justice Renato Corona to exercise judicial statesmanship by declining an appointment by President Arroyo to the position of Chief Justice since it would violate the Constitutional ban on midnight appointments.
I also urge the members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to exercise judicial restraint and not succumb to the orchestrated pressure tactics exerted by Malacanang’s allies for the council to prematurely submit to the President a list of nominees for the next Chief Justice.
The members of the JBC will have to realize that they will be More >
Appointment is violation of Constitution
Jan 30th
I warn the members of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) that they will be a party to the palpable and gross violation of the Constitutional ban on midnight appointments if they submit a short list of nominees and President Arroyo appoints the replacement of outgoing Chief Justice Reynato Puno.
Even Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello, a member of the JBC, had publicly declared that President Arroyo can appoint a new Chief Justice only by picking from a short list of nominees to be submitted by the council.
This means that aside from the ban against midnight appointments, the President cannot appoint the More >
14.
Jan 27th
Sa balota >> ● 14. DRILON <<
Bumoto para sa katotohanan at hustisyang pantay-pantay. Patas ang laban kung papalitan ang mga corrupt. Ibalik ang BIG MAN!
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Good governance will be best tribute to Cory
Jan 26th
Establishing a government that is free from graft and corruption, that implements the rule of law equally, and administers a justice system that treats the rich and the poor evenly would be the best tribute Filipinos can give former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino.
The Filipino people can honor the legacy of President Aquino by electing into office a government that will uphold her democratic ideals and moral values.
On Monday, we joined hundreds of Filipinos in the unveiling of a bronze statue of the late president in front of the historic Manila Hotel on Roxas Boulevard, Manila to commemorate her 77th birthday.
Today, More >
Protect Maguindanao massacre witnesses
Jan 20th
If our law enforcers are so incompetent that they cannot guarantee the safety of the witnesses and their immediate relatives from the local mafia in Maguindanao, we might as well drop the criminal charges against the Ampatuans now. That way, we can prevent more killings and save lives.
I note that vital witnesses in the infamous Ampatuan massacre case and their immediate relatives wearere being subjected to “actual intimidation, threat and physical harm” by armed men to prevent them from testifying in court. A number of the witnesses earlier presented by government prosecutors to the public have recanted their testimonies against More >
To the Presidentiables: Bare your stand on SC midnight appointment controversy
Jan 18th
I challenge our presidential candidates to bare their stand on the raging legal controversy on whether outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo can still appoint the next Chief Justice despite a constitutional prohibition against presidential midnight appointments.
Only LP Presidential candidate Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has taken a firm stand on the controversy while most of the other presidential aspirants have opted to consistently play on the safe side on the matter.
This matter on whether we should allow the President to circumvent the constitutional ban against midnight appointments for her to be able to fiddle with the independence of the Supreme Court is More >
I don’t agree with Senator Enrile’s position on next SC chief appointment
Jan 18th
I disagree with the position taken by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that President Arroyo can bypass the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) in appointing the successor of outgoing Chief Justice Reynato Puno.
The legal position taken Enrile, which appears to have been adopted by Malacanang, on the appointment of a Chief Justice without a JBC nomination, is a clear violation of the Constitution.
Article VIII, Section 4 (1) of the 1987 Constitution provides that the Supreme Court is composed of a Chief Justice and 14 associate justices. Thus, the members of the High Court are one Chief justice and 14 associate More >
Judiciary Act provides for process of succession in SC leadership
Jan 12th
Malacanang is maliciously raising unfounded fears of a possible vacuum in the leadership of the Supreme Court when Chief Justice Reynato Puno retires in May. Existing laws provide for a smooth succession to the post.
Contrary to the claim of Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor Jr. and Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello, Puno’s retirement on May 17, 2010 will not create a vacancy in the position of the SC Chief Justice because the Judiciary Act (Republic Act 296, as amended) provides for a process of succession in the event of a vacancy.
Section 12 of the Judiciary Act states: “In case of a More >
