BANTAY KORTE SUPREMA

OFFICIAL STATEMENT

Seven of the 15 incumbent Supreme Court Justices, or almost majority of said collegial body, will be retiring next year. Only one person, the President, will be appointing these vacancies, and only upon the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council.

To assure that the fitness, integrity and competence of the High Tribunal are preserved, a diverse group comprising of representatives from various sectors has convened Bantay Korte Suprema.

Bantay Korte Suprema aims to ensure that the nomination. Evaluation, recommendation and appointment of the seven incoming Supreme Court Justices be transparent and public, not duly influenced by parochial and short-term political considerations.

Bantay Korte Suprema includes former Philippine Presidents, retired Supreme Court Justices, the legal academe, lawyers’ association, practitioners, selected legislators, chambers of commerce and media organizations.

The Supreme Court is considered the final arbiter of legal controversies. It stands reflective of the Judiciary and our entire legal system. A selection process done behind a veil casts doubts on the very credibility of the appointments, considering the peculiar situation that the current Chief Executive has the power to name almost half of the High Tribunal’s membership.

Let the nomination, evaluation, recommendation, selection and appointment be made public, so that we, the Filipino people, are assured that the subsequent Supreme Court is OUR Supreme Court, and no one else’s.

We invite you to the launching of Bantay Korte Suprema on Monday, November 17, 2008, 10:00 o’ clock in the morning at the Training Center , Ground Floor Centennial Building , Supreme Court, Padre Faura cor. Taft Avenue , Manila .

Add comment November 18th, 2008