Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — During the Philippine Bar Association’s (PBA) Law Day celebration on Wednesday (September 23), presidential aspirant Manuel Roxas II tackled the next president’s important task of choosing Supreme Court (SC) justices.
“This might not caught the attention of the vast majority; but surely, you lawyers know the primordial importance of who gets to appoint the next set of justices, as this will have the potential significance of affecting the national landscape,” he said.
Roxas, who was the guest speaker of the event, also led the induction of the PBA’s new officers and members.
“Not many realize that within the next six years, the next president of our country will appoint 11 or 12 of the 15 justices of the Supreme Court,” he said.
He then cited the need to appoint justices based on probity, integrity, and competence.
“Will the next president rely on old, transactionalist paradigms in choosing his or her appointees? Will he or she treat this as an exercise in weaving a personal, legal safety net? Or will probity, integrity, and competence be the most important criteria on deciding who will be performing the crucial task of being a justice of the Supreme Court?”
Roxas said there are issues which could eventually need the attention of the SC. Among the issues he mentioned were the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the bank secrecy law, and the law which mandates transparency in government.officials’ Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
CNN Philippines’ Ina Andolong contributed to this report.
