COMPLETING the Supreme Court of the Philippines as its 15th member, Filipinos welcome the entry of Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, as the country’s 24th Chief Justice.
Sereno will preside over the position, which was vacated by impeached Chief Justice Renato C. Corona.
President Benigno Aquino appointed Sereno on August 25, from a list of eight nominees submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council.
At 52, Sereno is expected to serve as Chief Justice for 18 years or until 2030, when it is mandatory for her to retire, after serving a 20-year term.
“The President is confident that Chief Justice Sereno will lead the judiciary in undertaking much-needed reforms. We believe the Judicial Branch of government has a historic opportunity to restore our people’s confidence in the judicial system,” according to Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda.
Malacañang believes that Chief Justice Sereno will remain an independent magistrate, despite earlier concerns raised by militants, that she may be a puppet of President Benigno S. Aquino III.
After her oath-taking on August 26, Sereno assured the public that she would not be beholden to the President.
“The judiciary must regain the trust of our people, so that Congress can entrust to it the funds to make the delivery of justice efficient and their families secure. I hope to regain that trust by presenting myself as a leader worthy of trust, and my work and my life as proof that the people’s trust will not be misplaced,” Sereno said.
Sereno, who refused to be subjected to klieg lights, declined media interviews on her first day of work, in order to bring back the Supreme Court’s “golden days of dignified silence.”
“The judiciary is not a political branch of government. Its role is unique among all the public institutions. It is constitutionally designed to be deliberate, accurate, sober and carefully balanced before arriving at its decisions and in the presentation of such decisions,” Sereno said in a statement released by the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court will act with due speed in discharging its role, but the outcome of all of its actions must be clear, categorical, and not easily given to change.”
With its reputation still tarnished by the recent ousting of former Chief Justice Renato C. Corona, the best course for the judiciary (under its new leadership) is to move forward and focus on addressing the country’s urgent concerns through judicial reforms.
Judicial reform continues to be an important policy issue in the Philippines. The institution is still haunted with problems relating to corruption, incompetence, delay in the administration of justice and access to justice by the poor.
In many ways, judicial reform is relevant to the country’s democratic consolidation and economic development.
A healthy and independent judiciary is vital in restraining the government from violating fundamental civil liberties, providing a ground for peaceful resolution of political conflicts and laying the foundations for sustainable economic growth.
By enforcing property rights, checking abuses of government power and upholding the rule of law, the judiciary becomes an essential player in achieving the country’s normatively desired goals.
An accountable and accessible judiciary can guarantee a firm rule of law and a law-abiding state—factors that are crucial in strengthening democracy.
When it functions autonomously of the executive and legislative branches, it affects diverse sectors of the population and provides benefits to society as a whole.
As the torchbearer of the Philippine justice system, it is Sereno’s responsibility to ardently safeguard and re-engineer the judiciary — one that is independent, effective, efficient and worthy of public trust and confidence.
(AJPress)
