Truth body vehicle for vindictiveness, retribution, says SC By Benjamin B. Pulta 12/09/2010

Truth body vehicle for vindictiveness, retribution, says SC

By Benjamin B. Pulta

12/09/2010

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday made available to the public its decision written by Associate Justice Jose Mendoza declaring unconstitutional Executive Order 1 putting up the controversial Philippine Truth Commission (PTC) .

As earlier announced by the tribunal’s spokesmen, the ruling said Malacañang should have included previous administrations under the coverage of the PTC which had originally been given a 29-month deadline to complete its fact-finding mission exclusively on the Arroyo administration.

“Not to include past administrations similarly situated constitutes arbitrariness which the equal protection clause

cannot sanction. Such discriminating differentiation clearly reverberates to label the commission as a vehicle for vindictiveness and selective retribution,”the majority opinion said.

“The Court, in exercising its power of judicial review, is not imposing its own will upon a co-equal body but rather simply making sure that any act of government is done in consonance with the authorities and rights allocated to it by the Constitution,” the tribunal said.... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20101209hed1.html