De Lima will no longer appeal 'unfair' disqualification from Chief Justice race
Mark Merueñas, GMA News August 14, 2012 1:40p
(Updated 3:20 p.m.) - Although she insisted that she was a victim of a conspiracy among the Supreme Court (SC), the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Tuesday said she no longer intends to appeal her disqualification from the chief justice selection process.
In a chance interview with reporters at the Department of Justice in Manila, De Lima stood by her earlier position that she was singled out and treated unfairly throughout the JBC's almost two-month screening for the chief justice shortlist.
"I'm not planning to avail of any remedy if there is any because I always believe that the JBC is the sole judge of the question of who can be included on the shortlist," she said.
"There's nothing I can say now which can undo turn of events. What can i say now that can still undo the turn of events which id like to say is quite unfair for me," De Lima added.
The Justice chief also said questioning her disqualification before the JBC might only delay selection process for the next chief justice, given that President Benigno Aquino II barely has two weeks left to appoint a new top judge to replace ousted Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Under the Constitution, the President has 90 days or three months to look fill in a vacant chief justice post. Corona, convicted of hiding millions of pesos in several bank accounts, was ousted May 29, giving Aquino until August 27 to look for a replacement.
"If I still avail of remedies, if I stil question the action of the JBC, that can derail and delay the appointment. Ayaw ko naman gawin iyon," De Lima.
Out of the 20 chief justice aspirants, the eight-member JBC voted to include acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio (with seven votes) and Associate Justices Roberto Abad (six votes), Arturo Brion (six votes), Teresita De Castro (five votes), and Lourdes Sereno (six votes) on the shortlist.
Also included were Solicitor-General Francis Jardeleza (six votes), Ateneo De Manila University Law Dean Cesar Villanueva (five votes), and former Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora (six votes).
'Anybody but De Lima' conspiracy
But still obviously frustrated by her disqualification, De Lima insisted she was unfairly treated during the selection process, even claiming that the high court, the JBC, and the IBP ganged up on her to ensure she does not make it through the shortlist.
It is from this shortlist that Aquino would choose the next chief justice.
"Obvious naman the SC, the IBP, the JBC, mukhang nagkasundo sila, trying to pin me down and banding together as if nagkaroon sila ngayon ng objective na 'anybody but De Lima.' That's my feeling," she said.
De Lima had repeatedly questioned the timing of the referral by the Supreme Court to the JBC of the two disbarment cases against her. One of the disbarment cases against her was referred by the SC to JBC in April. The JBC, however, only acted on it three months later, on July 3, or a day after De Lima accepted her nomination for the CJ post.
"Hindi ko talaga iyon naintindihan why was I singled out... Bakit sa akin lang ang pinagalaw nila [na kaso] in this very crucial time. Noong July 3 lang nila ni-refer sa IBP, wala nang chance iyan i-resolve ng IBP," De Lima stressed.
Asked what she thought was the reason for her being singled out, De Lima said: "
Maybe it's because of the belief that I'm the favored candidate of the Palace. That is my position." She added that she was "supposed" to talk with President Benigno Aquino III but has yet to do so.