Day One of the JBC public interviews for the aspirants for the Chief Justice post. Our Purple Romero is at the hearings.
JBC members present are Justice Diosdado Peralta, ex-CA Justice Aurora Lagman, Jose Mejia, Usec Frederick Musngi, IBP officer Milagros Fernan-Cayosa, retired SC Justice Regino Hermosisima. Rep Niel Tupas arrived late.
First candidate interviewed was Andres Bautista, chair of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). In his opening statement, he talked about the SC's low ratings and its challenges: corruption, congestion, and delay.
"The gods of Padre Faura are more human and less divine," he said.
He was then grilled by Cayosa, Mejia, Lagman, mostly asking him about how he will solve the court's problems; corruption in the courts; even his take on appointing an outsider to the CJ post.
He was also asked about the fact that if he is appointed, he will serve for 22 years (he is just 48 years old, will serve until 70 if ever). He said there should be a judicial term limit of 7 years.
He also responded to questions about the opposition to his nomination filed by the Philcomsat, due to his alleged refusal to abide by Sandiganbayan motions.
Musngi: Andy is a batchmate from Ateneo, a classmate at Ateneo law and a personal friend #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Musngi asks Bautista about reforms in the SC that are worth continuing #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Bautista: We should continue the judicial dispute resolution,use of small
claims court #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Musngi: Can you convince us that an outsider like you can fulfill the duties of a chief justice? #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Bautista: Are we happy w/the way things are? If yes, we should have more
of the same. The Sc should change hand-in-hand with - #SCWatch
-things have been changing. We need radical, out-of-the-box change #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Bautista: PCGG has 65 pending cases in Sc. I will inhibit from those cases if appointed chief justice #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Tupas: Kahit mag-sign kayo ng waiver on term limit, mababypass ang justices. Paano niyo i-uunify ang Korte Suprema #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Bautista: Kaya po as long as people are professional, if we share a common interest #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Bautista: Ang pag-impeach ay unang hakbang lang.Marami pang dapat baguhin #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Tupas: Any specific reform in terms of degree of criticism of the courts Bautista: Criticism shld be constructive hindi personalan #SCWatch
Tupas: Ang plagiarism ba impeachable? Bautista: We have to look at intent. #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Peralta: Ang kasalanan ng isa, hindi kasanalan ng lahat. #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Peralta: If there is charter change, would you like the rulemaking power of the court to be amended #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Peralta: You're trying to court the vote of Rep. Tupas, of Justice Hermosisima and now of the Supreme Court #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Bautista: The Court should communicate these programs Peralta: Hindi kasi kami pulitiko, hindi kami puwede magpa-interview #SCWatch
Bautista's interview over. Up next is Atty Soledad Cagampang-De Castro.
Soledad Cagampang de Castro is next. She was nominated by her son but her husband endorsed others #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Cagampang de Castro: It's one of my objectives - to see if there is also an invisible glass ceiling in the judiciary for women #SCWatch
Cagampang De Castro: We need a long-term solution to corruption. #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Cagampang de Castro is 67 yrs old and will only serve for 3 yrs as chief justice if appointed. #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Lagman goes through the personal data sheet of Cagampang- De Castro. That's classic Lagman, people :) #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Hermosisima: would you rather have these writs (of amparo, kalikasan) passed by Congress? #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Cagampang de Castro: These writs are well placed in the Supreme Court #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Cagampang de Castro: If crime is heinous, making a criminal suffer in prison would be better alternative than death #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Musngi and Tupas did not ask Cagampang-De Castro questions. Peralta proceeds #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Peralta: Are there any other virtues that a chief justice should possess? Cagampang-de Castro: He or she should be humane #SCWatch
Up next: DOJ Sec Leila de Lima. #SCwatch
#SCwatch First to ask questions will be Rep Tupas.
Tupas: By 2pm today we will be filing a motion for reconsideration on SC decision re: Jbc composition #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Tupas to De Lima: Pending regular admin cases can lead to disqualification. You have 2 pending admin cases #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
De Lima: Those cases pending in IBP have not yet ripened into regular admin cases #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
De Lima: There should
first be preliminary determination of merit #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Tupas: Malapit ang pangulo sa secretary of justice. Baka pag inappoint ni pangulo yan, susundin niya lahat gusto ni pangulo #SCWatch
De Lima: You have to look at my record. I've been w/an independent constitutional body. I will not be beholden to the president #SCWatch
De Lima: Sub judice rule nami-misapply na as gag order on public comment. #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Tupas: Patently unconstitutional order. Kailangan pa bang sundin 'yun? #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
De Lima: Supreme Court is not as infallible as we think it is. (Justices) are human beings. #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
De Lima: Jbc may not be perfect but compared to old system (of having aspirants face CA) it's better #SCWatch @rapplerdotcom
Musngi: Andy is a batchmate from Ateneo, a classmate at Ateneo law and a personal friend #SCWatch @rapplerdotcomby Purple S. Romero via twitter 7/24/2012 2:24:02 AM