Arroyo to lead signing of accord with judiciary, Congress leaders

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo will lead today the signing of a historic agreement with leaders of the judiciary and Congress, creating the Judiciary, Executive and Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (JELAC) to strengthen the rule of law in the country, officials said yesterday.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye and Secretary to the Cabinet Ricardo Saludo in separate statements said Mrs. Arroyo, Chief Justice Reynato Puno, Senate President Manuel Villar and Speaker Prospero Nograles would sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) in Malacañang.

After the closed door signing ceremonies at the Ramos Conference Room at the Palace, the JELAC would be holding its first meeting.

Signing as witnesses are Vice President Noli de Castro, Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan, House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor Sr., Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, and Supreme Court Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna.

“This (JELAC) is historic and significant,” Bunye told reporters. “I don’t think there’s a precedent to this in any administration where all three branches agreed to work together and formalize this arrangement by a formal document.”

The JELAC is similar to the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council created under Republic Act 7640 in 1997. The body identifies legislative priorities.

Bunye said the JELAC will be created through a MOA since the signatories have complete authority to bind their respective departments.

He said the rationale behind JELAC is the recognition of the rule of law. “This (rule of law) is a very important principle. This is the bedrock of our democratic system and it takes not just one branch of government to make rule of law effective, so you have three branches of government working together.”

He said it took some time before the MOA could be finalized due to scheduling problems on the part of the signatories.

Bunye said he could not say yet what would be the agenda on the first JELAC meeting but it would be issues on rule of law, including possibly press freedom.

Under the MOA, JELAC is mandated to serve as the forum and venue for the representatives of the three branches of the government to undertake measures on matters affecting the primacy of the rule of law, a Palace statement said.

It shall also be mandated to identity the problems and issues, formulate solutions and implement them.

JELAC shall be composed of nine members. The President sits as chairperson with the Vice-President, the Senate President, the House Speaker, and the Chief Justice as members. The other members of the council will be a Cabinet member to be designated by the President, a senator and a congressman to be designated by their respective leaders, and an associate justice of the Supreme Court to be designated by the chief justice.

The JELAC members shall serve in an ex-officio capacity and shall not receive any additional emoluments or allowances.