The Senate on Monday commended Senator Joker Arroyo for successfully defending before the Supreme Court the chamber's position that Congress deserves two seats in the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

"Sen. Joker Arroyo successfully defended it last August 2 and I believe it was not his charm but his... persuasive arguments did it for him. I believe the Senate and the entire Congress should be indebted to the distinguished gentleman from Bicol," said Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente Sotto III, who moved for the adoption of the resolution commending Arroyo on Monday.

Senator Gregorio Honasan, who was presiding over Monday's Senate session, said "the charm of Sen. Arroyo must be included" in the resolution.

Sotto, for his part, agreed.

Congress representation

Earlier, former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez called the Supreme Court’s attention to the first paragraph of Section 8 of Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution, which says Congress is entitled to only “a member” in the JBC.
 
The high tribunal then came out with a July 17 ruling which said that Congress should have only one representative in the JBC.

Escudero and the House's representative in the JBC Rep. Niel Tupas, through the Office of the Solicitor General, filed a motion for reconsideration.

The Senate then asked the JBC to defer deliberations on the Chief Justice selection until the issue has been settled, but asked the SC to hold oral arguments on the matter.

During the oral arguments, Arroyo asked the high court to give more weight to the intent of the Constitution to give equal representation of Congress in the JBC by giving it two slots in the council.

Last week, the Supreme Court suspended its July 17 ruling pending the resolution of Congress' motion for reconsideration. - BM, GMA News