CHIEF JUSTICE TO LEAD POLITICAL OPPOSITION (A commentary)

By Philip M. Lustre Jr.

(N.B. I was at the Quezon City Sports Club this morning to listen to the Chief Justice's address. A lot has been reported by the multitudes of reporters who covered the event. Here's my commentary.)

SHE sounded combative, as she put squarely on the shoulders of the sick old man of the South the move to impeach and remove her from the Supreme Court on what is widely perceived as unconstitutional grounds.

But without batting a eyelash, she dropped strong hints she was willing to lead the stymied political opposition, as she issued a clarion call to activists of all persuasions and faith to unite and face a common enemy, the emerging dictatorship and fight to preserved the restored democracy.

Embattled by an impeachment complaint and a quo warranto petition that both seek her removal from office and pressures for her to resign, Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno seemed to have chosen the perfect venue and occasion to deliver her go-for-broke address - the gathering of hundreds of human rights activists to commemorate the “Araw ng Kagitingan” (Day of Valor) at the Quezon City Sports Club.

After receiving a recognition for her stand on the issues of human rights, martial law, and burial of Marcos remains at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani from four human rights organizations, the Chief Justice perorated for almost an hour her strongest attack on what could be regarded a conspiracy among the people of power to remove her from her post.

She denounced the sick old man for conspiring with the complainant of her impeachment raps and meeting him in Malacanang, Solicitor General Jose Calida for filing a constitutionally flawed quo warranto complaint, and her colleagues for entertaining Calida’s petition and conspiring to oust her without giving her a semblance of fairness.

But those things did not end unnoticed from the Chief Justice's standpoint. She said: “I won’t compromise. I won’t bow to the powers-that-be.” It was the Chief Justice's way to declare and open war against her tormentors and enemies. She has crossed her Rubicon.

But the most significant implication of her speech is how she has started to forged an alliance with the human rights activists. What she did this morning was a far departure for her predecessors, who avoided the political limelight and were contended to lead a quiet, sedentary lifestyle away from the crowd.

As her way of seeking unity with the various groups, the Chief Justice opened her speech with the following: “Magkakasama na tayo at hindi maghihiwalay (We would be together and we would not part ways).”

She ended her speech with the same persuasive call for the various groups and organizations to unite to put an end to injustice and pursue the themes of justice, truth, and righteousness. She has made it clear that it was a fight for democracy and truth.

In a way, the speech makes her a political chief justice. But it has to be understood within the context of an emerging authoritarian rule, which the sick old and his minions have been pursuing.

When her speech ended, I had a brief conversation with Joel Saracho, a journalist, writer, and awarded actor, who told me in no uncertain terms that the Chief Justice knew the fate awaiting her in the oral arguments tomorrow in Baguio City. Joel said she knew her colleagues would do everything to remove her.

Nevertheless, we both agreed that the Chief Justice could be the new center of political gravity. The Chief Justice indeed could unify the fragmented political opposition and her projected removal could be the much awaited rallying point to terminate the nightmare created by the sick old man’s government.

Joel noted Vice President Leni Robredo has always been hesitant to take the mantle of leadership to lead the political opposition against the sick old man. The emergence of the Chief Justice is a blessing, he said in a comment that drew my tacit approval.

We both agreed that the fact the Chief Justice is picking up the mantle of leadership without a burden of previous political affiliation is an advantage. The fact that she has been largely apolitical in her professional career could be her attraction. It could work to her advantage and the political opposition, which she would eventually lead as well.

Yes, the Chief Justice has become political; she would likely lead the political opposition. But it has to be asserted too that she did not – and has not - sought it. On the contrary, she has been pushed on the wall. She has no choice but to respond to the stimulus.

Welcome, Madame Chief Justice to the democratic political opposition.
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