Supreme Court blocks National Artist conferment

The "Massacre King" can't call himself "National Artist" yet. The Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from conferring the rank and title of national artist on seven personalities -- including the controversial director Carlo J. Caparas, called "Massacre King" for his commercially successful blood-and-gore revenge flicks -- while it looks into a petition filed by several national artists and cultural workers. In a resolution following a full-bench session, the high tribunal also directed the respondents in the case to file within 10 days their comment on the petition. "The court decided to issue a status quo order and required the respondents to file comment. After they file the comment, the court would decide to call for an oral argument," said SC spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez. Marquez said that the status quo order covers not just the four nominees under question but also the three others whose nominations are not being contested. The high court’s minute resolution stemmed from the petition filed on August 19 by five national artists, members of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, and other private individuals. Among the respondents named in the petition are President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, and the four nominees under question, namely: Cecile Guidote Alvarez (theater), Magno Jose Carlo Caparas (visual arts and film), Jose 'Pitoy' Moreno (fashion design), and Francisco 'Bobby' Mañosa (architecture). According to the petitioners, the four were not among the nominees shortlisted by the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCAA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) boards for 2009. In the shortlist were Lazaro Francisco (posthumous) for literature), Dr. Ramon Santos (music), Manuel Conde (posthumous) for film and broadcast, and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (visual arts, painting, sculpture, and mixed media). But President Arroyo dropped the name of Santos and inserted the names of Alvarez, Caparas, Moreno, and Mañosa, the petition filed last week by lawyer Theodore Te said. Among the petitioners are national artists Virgilio Almario (literature), Bienvenido Lumbera (literature), Benedicto Cabrera for visual arts (painting), Napoleon Abueva for visual arts (sculpture), and Arturo Luz national artist for visual arts (painting and sculpture). The petition said that President Arroyo gravely abused her discretion in disregarding the results of the rigorous selection process. National artists are given medallions and citations. They also receive a lifetime emolument and material and physical benefits like cash award, a monthly pension, medical and hospitalization benefits. The awardees will likewise receive life insurance coverage, arrangement and expenses for a state funeral, a place of honor at national state functions, and recognition at cultural events. Palace respects decision Malacañang said it will abide by the decision of the high tribunal. "We will respect the SC decision. We will submit our comments through the Office of the Solicitor General," said Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III. Guidote-Alvarez, one of the four nominees under question, said she is "happy" that the issue will finally be discussed in the proper venue. "We're glad this will finally be discussed in the Supreme Court, where the issue could be rationally discussed without bias," she told GMANews.TV. Alvarez also said that she expects a "fair discussion" of the issue in the high court. "We leave it to the the SC to come up with a decision. It is, after all, the final arbiter of executive prerogative," she said. Alvarez, whose conferment of the national artist title is being questioned because of her position as executive director of the NCCA, refused to further comment on the issue, since the matter was already sub judice. Meanwhile, Donna Villa, Caparas's wife, said that their camp will respect whatever decision the Supreme Court will make. "Whatever decision the court will make, we must abide by that, and we plan to abide by that," she said. - Sophia Dedace, with Aie Balagtas See and Carlo Lorenzo, GMANews.TV