Bantay Korte Suprema launched

MANILA, Nov. 19 (PNA)-– A coalition of cross-sectors of Philippine society on Monday launched Bantay Korte Suprema (BKS) with the expected retirement of seven justices of the Supreme Court (SC) next year.

The first vacancy in the 15-man SC will be on January 3, 2009.

Highlight of the launching of the BKS, is the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the public monitoring of the selection of justices to the SC.

Among others, the MOU is aimed at encouraging involvement of the public in the evaluation of the fitness, integrity and competence of the nominees to the SC.

The BKS is composed of retired Philippine presidents, retired SC justices, legislators, legal practitioners, the academe, the business community and the media.

The group will guarantee that nominees to the Judiciary are selected based on real standards of competence, integrity, probity, independence and track record in the practice of law, and not on parochial, short-term political considerations.

Among others, those present on Monday's launching of the BKS are retired SC Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, former Senate President Jovito Salonga, Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis Pangilinan, who is also a member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), and Atty. Rodolfo Urbiztondo, of the 48,000-strong Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), and the chambers of commerce.

Pangilinan said that pending cases will be deliberated upon by members of the JBC, in so far as nominees to the JBC are concerned, citing the case of Sandiganbayan Justice Gregorio Ong who was given an appointment but which was subsequently withdrawn due to questions on his citizenship.

For his part, Panganiban hinted at a possible “hiatus” in the Chief Justice shift in the retirement of Chief Justice Reynato Puno who will turn 70 on May 16, 2010.

The retired Chief Justice cited Article 7, Section 5 of the Constitution which says “Two months immediately before the next presidential elections and upto the end of his/her term, a President or an Acting President shall not make appointments, except temporary appointments.”

The incumbent president, Panganiban said, is banned from making any appointments before the next presidential election, or two months before the end of her term on June 30, 2010.

Panganiban added that if there is “hiatus”, there will be a solution such that if the President is abroad, the SC can appoint an Acting Chief Justice.

”We must watch the appointment of the next seven SC justices who will address the issue,” he said.

The BKS reiterated that the public is encouraged to send in their comments to the BKS, the Makati Business Club (MBC) and to the media, regarding the next appointments to the highest court of the land.

For its part, the IBP sees to it that “the best and brightest” will be appointed to the Judiciary.

Pangilinan, who is a member of the JBC for the last six years and upto the present, also pointed out that if President Arroyo will appoint the next Chief Justice, therefore, there is no constitutional basis for such an appointment.