Justices urged to protect SC’s independence

MANILA, Philippines - Retiring Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes has called on his colleagues in the Supreme Court (SC) to continue the fight for judicial independence.

“Protect the Supreme Court from unsavory meddling of those who are trying to taint its integrity,” Reyes said in his speech during his last flag-raising ceremony at the high court yesterday.

While he did not name the individuals attacking the judiciary, Reyes made the call amid the clash between the Court of Appeals and the House of Representatives over the case of six Ilocos Norte provincial officials being detained by lawmakers for contempt.

The magistrate also issued the statement after Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez warned of possible impeachment against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno after she reportedly met with CA justices and ordered them to defy the House’s show cause order against the three magistrates.

One of the six appointees of former president Benigno Aquino III in the SC, Reyes is set to retire from the judiciary on Thursday upon reaching mandatory retirement age of 70.

The Judicial and Bar Council has submitted to President Duterte a shortlist of seven nominees to replace Reyes in the high tribunal.

The list includes CA Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr., CA Justices Rosmari Carandang, Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Japar Dimaampao and Amy Lazaro-Javier, and Centro Escolar University law school vice dean Rita Linda Ventura-Jimeno.

Reyes was appointed to the SC on Aug. 23, 2011. He served as justice in the CA prior to his promotion to the high court.