Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio is our next chief justice. I say this to short-circuit our political reality and to evoke the Fates (moirai) to challenge the gods of this government and rethread destinies.
I was also compelled to write this letter upon knowing that the top three bets for chief justice are all appointees of the most corrupt Philippine president since Ferdinand Marcos. Mr. Duterte should know that the lethal knife stab in the back doesn’t come from an enemy, as ousted president Joseph Estrada and ousted speaker Pantaleon Alvarez will tell you.
I believe our previous two presidents chose their chief justices not in the highest interest of justice but in the interest of self-preservation. President Duterte can atone for the mistakes of his predecessors by appointing the chief justice who will best serve justice and our national interest. Given Mr. Duterte’s affinity for destiny, I’m sure that, in his moments of introspection, he can see destiny’s nobler choice for chief justice despite his own policies and interests. The foolishness of the god of destiny is wiser than man’s wisdom, after all.
In 2010 and 2012, self-interest brushed aside the best and rightful chief justice that destiny was calling for. It seems the Fates have ordained from then on that any chief justice appointed on the basis of self-interest shall fail their mandates, until destiny’s call is answered. The Fates await an answer.
ERNIE LAPUZ, nitelites@rocketmail.com