Chief Justice Puno to Noynoy: Honor Corona's appointment

(Updated 5:12 p.m.) Sen. Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III’s plan not to recognize incoming Chief Justice Renato Corona could lead to a constitutional crisis, according to retiring Chief Justice Reynato Puno, a known expert of the Constitution. “I hope it does not come to that point that it may cause constitutional crisis. We should maintain the respect for the rule of law," Puno told reporters during the retirement ceremonies held in his honor at the Supreme Court last Friday. He was referring to Aquino’s statement that he would rather take his oath before barangay officials than before Corona, whose appointment he vehemently opposed. Aquino continues to lead the presidential race as of Sunday afternoon. Puno said that without the rule of law, “there will be a lot of conflicts between and among the branches of the government and that conflict will not be to the benefit of the Filipino people." “The rule of law is the glue that unites our society. Without the rule of law, our society will disintegrate," Puno said. No exemption He also reminded Aquino that nobody is exempt from the law. “All of us should observe this rule of law. There’s nobody who can excuse himself and say that he is not covered by the rule of law. The higher you are in the government the more you should respect the rule of law." President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Corona as Puno’s replacement despite the ban on appointments in connection with the May 10 local and national elections. The Supreme Court, in a controversial decision last month, has ruled that the ban does not cover the position of chief justice. Corona is expected to take his oath Monday when Puno retires upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70. Puno said the biggest challenge for Corona as chief justice is “to immediately prove to the people that [he is leading] indeed an independent court." Respect the office, if not the official Puno’s call was echoed by UP College of Law Dean Marvic Leonen, who advised Aquino to respect the office of the chief justice if he can’t bring it to himself to respect Corona. Leonen said that traditionally, the President-elect takes his oath before the chief justice not because of any provision of the Constitution nor any other legal requirement. “He does so because of the symbolisms of that ritual. The oath—prescribed by the constitution—is administered by the head of an autonomous, co-equal department of government charged with the preservation of the words found in the Constitution of the Republic," he said. These symbolisms, Leonen said, are lost when the oath is taken before a Punong Barangay. In fact, he said, these symbolisms will be denied. He noted that Aquino himself will make a series of appointments in the high court with the retirement of some of the justices, and under his own terms. “Let this be my first unsolicited advise to you: Be the President of the Republic of the Philippines. Act that part. Take your oath before the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, whoever its incumbent may be. There are many other ways to improve the administration of justice," he said. — KBK, GMANews.TV