Corona decries 'propaganda war' on high court rulings

Chief Justice Renato Corona on Thursday denounced what he said was a "propaganda war" against recent high-profile decisions of the Supreme Court (SC). Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines' (FOCAP) "Prospects for the Philippines" forum, Corona said that the high court will assert its constitutional duty of judicial review despite such attacks.

"The court does not wield the power of the sword, nor does it have the power of the purse. But it has the power to interpret the Constitution. I mention this in light of recent events. A propaganda war was unleashed on recent judgments," said Corona. The chief justice, however, declined to name the parties waging the so-called war. Answering a journalist's question, Corona only hinted that there are quarters out to disparage SC decisions, not the justices. He added that he wonders whether the critics have read the SC decisions in the first place. "When a situation like this occurs, you sort of wonder how many of these people attacking the decisions actually read and tried to understand our decisions. I make a clear delineation between those who never even read our decisions and started attacking, and those who actually took time and effort to understand and read what they're saying," he said. No rift with the Aquino administration Just recently, the Supreme Court voided President Benigno Aquino III's Executive Order No. 1, which created the Philippine Truth Commission. The truth body would have investigated corruption scandals that tainted former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's nine-year rule. The SC likewise reinstated so-called Arroyo midnight appointee Bai Omera Lucman to her post at the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) even if Aquino had issued EO 2, which revoked Arroyo's "midnight appointments. Aquino criticized the SC as stifling its anti-corruption initiatives and for "effectively turning back the clock." But on Thursday, Corona said there is no "rift" with the Executive branch despite the President's blunt criticism of the court. "[There was mention of] the court locking horns with the executive. Nothing can be further from the truth. When we decide a case, we do so in the exercise of its constitutional duty to resolve [cases]. It is never a favor to or to defeat one or the other party," said Corona. The chief justice further said: "Is there a rift between the executive and the judiciary? I don't think so." Corona added that the President has the right to express his opinion on Supreme Court rulings. "That is democracy," he said. "I think it's pretty clear that things like these no longer bother us. I think we should just take this is a gentle reminder that there is a constituency out there that we must convince of the rightness of a decision and the need to communicate with them the reasons why we acted this way or that way," said the chief magistrate. Tarnished image? In 2010, the Supreme Court dealt with criticisms from various sectors: the Executive branch because of unfavorable rulings, the legal and academic community because of the plagiarism scandal that hounded Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo, and investigative journalist Marites Vitug's book "Shadow of Doubt," which exposed the inner workings of the court. [Read: Supreme crises: A terrible year for the High Court] Corona was asked during the forum if he was concerned about the Supreme Court's image. "I am concerned about the image, but I'm more concerned about doing what is right," he said. As for Vitug's book, Corona said it "praised only one justice and destroyed everybody else." He did not name the lone justice allegedly praised by the book. — RSJ/HS, GMANews.TV