The Carousel

By Rolo B. Cena

Hushed Poppies

Dumaguete Star Informer

July 8, 2012

Cebu City, Philippines - The Judicial and Bar Council of the Philippines (JBC) has finally closed accepting nominations for the chief justice.  So far, the process has registered 65 contenders who voluntarily and involuntarily submitted themselves to scrutiny.  And lately, it’s been narrowed down to 24.

The unique and commendably authentic Philippine made democracy has its unique ways of espousing transparency as in the case of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.  To most believers, the live telecast of the trial made one and absolute good:  Transparency is alive!

The top three bets will be shortlisted soonest in the deliberation that will be covered by the media.  Most people believe that this process is interesting in the sense that it runs almost the same as any talent search show on earth.  Undoubtedly, P-Noy has earned a credit for himself as the most influential talent manager in the country to date sans the magical, starry mirror, outbesting popular talent machineries popularized by the top three terrestrial giants of the country today.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the Constitution on the qualification of the next Chief Justice, modern-day Filipinos believe that the Chief Magistrate should have the proven record of independence, character, and firm resolve.

Arguably though, the selection process was done with an ounce of mockery.  Part of it has started from the nomination process that has been liberally opened and made public.  Not only did JBC accord transparency in the selection process, it has also invited a lot of crackpots to crave for the post:  A former Regional Trial Court Judge who was sacked by the Supreme court in 2006 and who claimed “The court will never rise again except upon appointment of a chief justice who is anointed by Christ through Ave Maria;” a certain Leonardo da Vinci nominated via email a certain Antonio Villamor; and a nurse nominating herself.  What on earth can a nurse, an ordinary citizen or a mentally-derailed lawyer can do in the judiciary?

By far, this is the most ridiculed government process I have ever known.  Every citizen has wanted to occupy the post without regard to qualification, experience, and competence, and with each one of them telling the media that they “have the edge.”  The search for the chief magistrate is no laughing matter. Surprisingly, while it democratizes the system, it has actually devalued the position of the Chief Justice, consciously or unconsciously.

The position of the Chief Justice has been assaulted once:  the midnight appointment of a man named Renato Corona, inexperienced, partial and alleged to be a close ally and associate of the now-troubled petite lady of the Congress.  Please, let us stop devaluing it farther more.  Let us respect the way we respect our citizenship.

And Senator Joker Arroyo was right:  The selection has become ridiculous.  Senator Franklin Drilon has a point:  It has become a circus.  The irate Sen. Miriam Santiago has a valid argument:  it has become a devaluation of the position.

The challenge of the Council is to nominate its top three bets from which the President has to intelligently and impartially choose The One.  Nope, not just nominating the top three, but nominating these dramatis personae impartially, consciously, and intelligently.  These candidates should have the proven record of independence, character and firm resolve:  Independence that can outwit political influence, character that can outdo personal and political differences, and firm resolve that cannot be influenced by whatever color of money any “negotiator” has in his pocket.

And while the process has been started with magical spotlights, let’s not make the final round like a circus!  After all, the Supreme Court is not a carousel.