Vicious cycle at the high court

Former chief justice Artemio Panganiban’s column (“CJ Peralta to eliminate SC’s backlog,” 1/12/20) has confirmed what everybody has been railing against. The backlog of cases in the Supreme Court has gone out of control.

“Some retiring justices merely left the backlog to their successors,” Panganiban wrote.

The justices taking over would then be studying the case all over again, and who in turn may be retiring soon themselves and would have to leave the backlog to their successors. The vicious cycle never ends.

Why not sanction such justices by reducing their benefits as a deterrent to laziness? The Supreme Court is quick to withhold benefits from lower court magistrates who retire with backlogs. Why the double standard? Simply because it is “supreme”?

Even “super lawyer” Estelito Mendoza himself has complained about the blatant violation of the Constitution, which mandates the high court to resolve cases within two years only. Why, oh why, with all the power and influence his “super” reputation commands, has Mendoza not, for love of country, spearheaded

impeachment proceedings against the slothful magistrates who are a bane to the justice system?

That gesture, even if only “suntok sa buwan” because Congress is dominated by cowards, would clearly send the message that the highest court of the land is not that “supreme” and can be held accountable to the people.

That act of shaming alone might just strike the conscience of some of its justices.

CARMELA N. NOBLEJAS
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