Chief Justice Peralta weighs in on alma mater UST's UAAP chances

MANILA, Philippines — A chief magistrate normally brings down judgment on a court case or hearing, but Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta gave a different kind of verdict Friday morning.

Speaking during a press conference, Peralta commented on the upcoming showdown between his alma mater UST and second-ranked UP in the UAAP men's basketball stepladder semifinals.

Peralta was nothing short of confident in the Growling Tigers' chances.

"Eh wala naman laban yung UP eh," Peralta said.

"Dalawang beses na natalo," he added. 

UST emerged victorious over the UP Fighting Maroons in both their meetings in the elimination round.

The Tigers will need to win both games against the Maroons in order to move on to the Finals.

But Peralta thinks defending champions Ateneo, who are awaiting the results of the UP-UST games, will be rooting against the España squad.

"I think the Ateneans are praying that the Tigers will lose. Kase mga Ateneo takot sila sa Tigers," Peralta said.

"Sinabi ni Coach [Tab] Baldwin during the first game... ang UST dark horse dito," he added.

UP alumni Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, however, had a different view of the situation.

"I am confident that the true facts of this controversy will be proven without a shadow of doubt within the next few days #UPFight," Leonen wrote on Twitter.

It seems like collegiate rivalry reaches as high as the Supreme Court.

The first game between UST and UP tips off on Sunday, November 10 at the Araneta Coliseum.