President Rodrigo Duterte defended his choice to appoint Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo De Castro as the new Chief Justice saying his decision was based on the justice’s seniority in the Supreme Court.
He debunked allegations that the appointment was De Castro’s reward for ousting former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
Duterte said there was nothing malicious about adding that Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano and other lawmakers made the allegations “to blabber their mouths”.
“I have yet to hear those guys state something without malice. They always say the worst. People like them judge best when they condemn and they have nothing to show for their time there except to blabber their mouth,” said Duterte.
“Kung sino ‘yung unang pumasok, siya ‘yung unang ma-promote and that would go for everybody,” he added.
Earlier, Alejano said De Castro’s appointment was merely a “bayad-utang” (reward) for the appointed Chief Justice’s role in Sereno’s ouster.
“She would retire in less than two months with a pabaon of a Chief Justice. This is a clear case of bayad-utang, walang delicadeza, at garapalan sa gobyerno,” Alejano said.
Duterte also explained that the same system of appointment applies to the military and civil promotions.
Moreover, Duterte also denied that he conversed with the members of the Supreme Court and that the decision was based on his personal relationships with the High Court’s justices.
“I am not familiar with any of them actually. Wala akong kilalang justice na personal. Truthfully, I have never talked to anyone there. They are all strangers to me,” he said.
De Castro was chosen over her fellow senior magistrates, Associate Justices Lucas Bersamin and Diosdado Peralta.
However, De Castro’s role as chief justice will only last for less than two months as she will be reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70 years old in October.
