New SC justice vows independence from Malacañang

Newly sworn in Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta of the Supreme Court has vowed independence from Malacañang in deciding cases as he dismissed allegations that his appointment was his prize for convicting former President Joseph Estrada of plunder in 2007.

After being sworn in as the latest justice to join the 15-member High Tribunal yesterday morning, Peralta said he believes he deserved his new position and it should not be given any political color.

“A magistrate is judged by his ponencia (decision). Insofar as ponencias are concerned, it will always be for the country,” he told reporters in an interview.

He admitted that he has a “friendly” relationship with President Arroyo since their fathers were good friends, but vowed “my friendship ends where my work begins.”

He noted that he was named after former President Diosdado Macapagal, President Arroyo’s late father, and also because his parents and grandparents were devout Catholics and “Diosdado means God-given.”

“Probably they named me after the former president because he was a poor but bright boy and my father knew him to be like that,” he added.

He asked critics to just look at his track record. “Even when I was a judge and a Sandiganbayan justice, lawyers and litigants, and even my employees will attest that I have been an independent-minded person.”

The new SC justice, who served as presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan for 10 months, recalled his first meeting with the President on June 14, 2002 in Malacañang when he received an award as outstanding regional trial court judge.

“That was the last day of the 90-day period for her to appoint a justice of the Sandiganbayan, and probably I was appointed as justice because it was also that day when I received my award as outstanding RTC judge from the Foundation for Judicial Excellence. That was the first time I met her,” he said.

He said criticisms of his appointment were mere “speculations and hypothetical,” adding that their sources “probably don’t know my background.”

Peralta hopes that critics of his appointment would understand that a seat at the SC was the next step after his stint as presiding justice of the anti-graft court.

“The next step for a presiding justice is to go to the Supreme Court. And it just so happened that I was the only presiding justice among those nominated by the Judicial Bar Council,” he explained.

Estrada’s camp claimed Peralta’s appointment was a reward for convicting the deposed president of plunder in 2007.

He was a member of the three-man Special Division of the Sandiganbayan that found the former president guilty of plunder. In March 2008, he was named chief of the anti-graft court.

“When I joined the government service, the first thing I told my employees was that they wouldn’t have problems with me as long as they act in accordance with morality, with ethics, and if they act lawfully. I used to tell them that many times every day,” he recalled.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez said he believes Peralta would demonstrate his independence as associate justice of the SC, citing the latter’s “good track record in the judiciary.”

“We haven’t heard anything negative about him,” Gonzalez said in a radio interview.

Chief Justice Reynato Puno presided over the oath-taking ceremony. Other justices of the High Court were also present to welcome Peralta, who was accompanied by his family.

The new High Court magistrate has been referred to as a “hanging judge” before his appointment to the Sandiganbayan because he had sentenced to death more than 40 people as a Quezon City Regional Trial Court judge.

Peralta takes the place of former SC Associate Justice Ruben Reyes who retired earlier this month.

The new SC justice became a prosecutor at 33. After eight years in the national prosecution service, he became a regional trial court judge for another eight years. He then served as justice at the Sandiganbayan for almost six years.

Six other SC justices are scheduled to retire this year: Adolf Azcuna on Feb. 16, Dante Tiñga on May 11, Consuelo Ynares-Santiago on Oct. 5, Leonardo Quisumbing on Nov. 6, Minita Chico-Nazario on Dec. 5, and Ma. Alicia Martinez on Dec. 19.