Wanted: Chief Justice

Where were you when it was obvious that Chief Justice Renato C. Corona was going to be removed from office?

I was at a mall with my children, enjoying a late lunch after our flight from Cebu to Manila was delayed. We also had to endure the usual heavy traffic from the airport in Pasay to our home in Quezon City. The day before, a friend had asked if I thought that the Senate would convict him. I honestly had no opinion. I guess I was shielding myself from disappointment if the Senate chose to acquit.

I admit feeling relieved that twenty senators chose to remove Chief Justice Corona from office. It would have been difficult to continue believing in the justice system if the highest official of the judiciary had a funny way of interpreting the Constitution, one that ignored its goals of transparency and public accountability.

That feeling of relief was short-lived and replaced by heaviness. It wasn’t because I felt that conviction was the wrong verdict. It was because I realized that while finishing the impeachment process outlined in the Constitution was a big step in our attempt to give life to this document, the chances of destroying whatever gains were made were very high.

I remembered the euphoria after EDSA 2 and how we all felt hopeful after President Joseph Estrada was ousted and replaced by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. I look at the damage that President Arroyo wreaked on our institutions and the work that needs to be done to undo them. I do not want the same thing to happen again, certainly not to the Supreme Court, the theoretical last bulwark of justice.

I am hopeful that President Noynoy Aquino will pick the right person to lead the Supreme Court. I do not have a particular person in mind, only a wish list of qualities that a Chief Justice should have.

First, the next Chief Justice must know the law very well. The first few months of President Aquino’s term gave me the feeling that he was hiring amateurs, specially with his legal team. I hope that the persons involved in writing the botched executive orders hit their law books and do not attempt to get their names considered at this time. There are far more learned men and women in the legal community now.

Second, the next Chief Justice must be known for probity and integrity. We are always reminded that justices, like Caesar’s wife, must be above suspicion. Anyone tainted by rumors of corruption and any wrongdoing should be excluded. It doesn’t matter if these are mere rumors. We deserve the best person for the job.

Third and most importantly, the next Chief Justice should be independent. This is the greatest burden of the current Supreme Court justices appointed by President Arroyo. They have been accused of favoring her because she is their patron, never mind what the law or jurisprudence said. It will be a while before the Supreme Court can regain the public’s trust. Thus, it is imperative that the person chosen to lead the court should inspire this trust. This means that he or she has to be someone who will decide based on the law and the facts only, not on who appointed him or her.

I am certain that I am not describing the qualities of a super hero or a mythical being. I just hope that President Aquino finds the best Chief Justice soon enough.

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