MANILA, Philippines -- With Chief Justice Renato Corona sitting two meters away, President Benigno Aquino III again lashed out at the Supreme Court during the first ever National Criminal Justice Summit on Monday. The President said the high court has made several decisions that are "hard to understand."
Aquino hit the Supreme Court for declaring as unconstitutional his pet project, the Truth Commission, which was aimed at running after corrupt officials of the Arroyo administration.
"Unang hakbang pa lang natin may barikada agad (A barricade met our very first step)," Aquino said.
The President dished out one tirade after the other while Chief Justice Renato Corona was sitting at the presidential table on stage, just two meters away from Aquino.
Aquino then questioned the actions of the Supreme Court on the watchlist order against Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo.
He said the high court imposed conditionalities to the temporary restraining order on the watchlist, which the magistrates eventually said need not be followed.
"And then they said we are the ones looking for a fight," Aquino said.
"This is not the first time that the Supreme Court made decisions that are hard to understand," the President added.
Aquino also questioned Corona's appointment, saying the rule that there should be no more appointments two months before an election was not followed.
"Did the Supreme Court violate the law (in upholding Corona's appointment)?" Aquino said, stressing that Corona's appointment came a week after the 2010 presidential elections.
Aquino also questioned the flipflopping of the Supreme Court on the issue of the creation of congressional districts.
The President said in the case of Camarines Sur, it was split into two districts even if the required number of population was not met.
"We respect the co-equal status between the executive and the judiciary. Wala kaming balak tapakan ang karapatan nila o bastusin ang sino man (We don't plan on violating their rights or disrespecting them)," he said.
"But elected officials are indebted to our bosses, the Filipino people. If there are public servants who are not for the interest of the people and are instead looking at their padron, can we expect them to side with the people?" the President.
Corona remained calm the entire time, while participants to the summit applauded Aquino's speech. Afterwards, the Chief Justice shrugged off the President's statements: "Hayaan na natin. Magpapasko na," Corona said. (Let's let it go. It's almost Christmas.)
Aquino shook hands with Corona before and after his speech.
Other officials who attended the summit include Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.
The summit gathered close to 500 justice officials, law enforcers, prosecutors, judges, corrections administrators, legal scholars and other stakeholders to validate and propose solutions to the problems of the country's criminal justice system.
