The battle over the SC C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 01/27/2010

The battle over the SC C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S Jonathan De la Cruz 01/27/2010 Let’s call a spade a spade. The heated debate over the appointment of the replacement of retiring Chief Justice Reynato Puno is nothing but naked political scheming. No matter how the protagonists try to paper things over with their paeans to the rule of law or “correct reading of the constitution and related precedents,” this ongoing give-and-take is a bare knuckled battle over the direction, not just the make up, of the highest court of the land. The protagonists, in and out of the high court, have politicized the entire process of selecting the highest magistrate to the point that it will be us — the people — and of course the judiciary that will suffer from the fall out. What makes things murkier is this issue’s transmogrification into a pro- or anti-GMA debate. Which is quite unfair, of course, especially since the main contenders.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune ALTERNATE URL: http://www.classicposters.com/commentary/20100127com5.html

COMMENTARY Destroying himself Costly political mistake Scenarios unforeseen by Constitution framers MR. EXPOSE Damaging to Villar C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S The battle over the SC HE SAYS Influence and confluence SHE SAYS Boundaries, what boundaries?