SC chief scores ‘hostile’ Noynoy By Benjamin B. Pulta 10/21/2010

CITES TRIBUNAL’S CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE

SC chief scores ‘hostile’ Noynoy

By Benjamin B. Pulta 10/21/2010

Without directly mentioning the name of President Aquino for his earlier blasting of the Supreme Court (SC) in issuing a status quo ante order on one alleged “midnight appointee” who had petitioned the court against Aquino’s Executive Order 2, removing her from her position, Chief Justice Renato Corona yesterday openly said that a hostile Executive Branch will not stop the judiciary from upholding its mandate under the Constitution.

In a speech during the 49th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) at the Manila Hotel, Corona pointed out that the 1987 Constitution vested the SC with the power to review actions of co-equal branches of government.

“When the Supreme Court invokes its power of judicial review, it does not assert its moral or constitutional ascendancy over the other two co-equal branches of government. It only reminds all and sundry of the non-negotiable supremacy of the Constitution,” he said.

Corona said the judiciary may not have either the power of the sword as wielded by the executive or the purse as controlled by Congress, but “it wields the power of the pen or the authority to interpret the Constitution and the laws..”

He also said that contrary to criticisms, the judiciary does not encroach on the powers of its co-equal branches nor violate the principle of separation of powers in exercising its power of judicial review..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101021hed1.html