VP BINAY: NEXT CHIEF JUSTICE MUST HAVE JUDICIAL MATURITY, ADMIN EXPERIENCE

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay is suggesting that the new Chief Justice should have both judicial maturity and administrative capability, and preferably from the academe.

“Sana ang mapiling Chief Justice ay may naiintindihan sa administrative position. Baka akala ninyo ang Chief Justice ay kaso-kaso lang. Ang Chief Justice, department head yan. Kailangan may pinagdaanan iyong magiging Chief Justice,” he said.

“Ang Supreme Court Justice, ‘yan ang administrative officer ng lahat ng hukuman. May mga pondo iyang hinahawakan, maraming under sa kanya kaya importante mayroong administrative experience sa Judiciary,” he said.

He also said the next Chief Justice must not be perceived as playing politics, but should have judicial maturity.

“Sana ang mapili ay mayroong judicial maturity, walang masasabi na ito ho ay pulitiko. Siguro maigi din kung somebody from the academe, the likes of Justice Fernandez, Justice Macalintal. You can never question their judicial maturity. So uulitin ko, iyong namumuno sa kanyang kasamahan, at namumuno sa departamento,” he said.

The Vice President was interviewed upon his arrival from the United States Tuesday where he spoke before a World Bank forum on housing finance and attended the Philippine Independence Day celebration in Los Angeles, California.

He recalled that during his time as a student at the UP College of Law, most of their teachers were known legal luminaries who later served as Chief Justices.

“Sana ganoon na lang ang mapili na Chief Justice, gaya nina Justice Feliciano,” he said.

While jokingly referring to the question about the non-inclusion of acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio in his list as a “landmine,” Binay said in fairness to Carpio, he is the second most senior justice but there have been cases when the next in rank was not selected as the new Chief Justice.

“Supposedly number two siya sa ranking. Iyon nga lang, may mga pagkakataon na hindi nasusunod iyan. Natatandaan ko noong kay Justice Panganiban, hindi naman siya ang number two noong ma-appoint siya. Marami namang magagaling na justices kahit way, way back pa,” he said.

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