As politely requested by civic-spirited citizen Oscar Franklin Tan (Inquirer, 7/27/12), I did recheck the timeline of the Supreme Court TRO on the hold order against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and I regret to tell him that I have to stick to my defense of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. The Supreme Court itself, voting 7-6, said that condition No. 2 had not been met, as no representative had been duly named by Arroyo. Then there is police power as exercised by an alter ego, unreprobated. Then there is the higher law dictating that we never surrender our conscience, unlike Hitler’s German lawyers. And one in conscientious objection should be ready to pay the price, even life itself, as in the case of Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos.
I also write because of my pal Joe Grapilon (“2-for-1 JBC seat ‘incomprehensible,’” Inquirer, 7/28/12) who wrote a letter which I prefer to read to mean that Rep. Niel Tupas of Iloilo cannot represent the nationally elected Senate and that Congress cannot be reduced to half, from full, representation. In the United States, 100 elected senators advise and consent. Results, celestial. Here, abysmal.
We need to heed the spirit that giveth life, not the letter that killeth. Thus, in the United States the Supreme Court has been called “nine scorpions in a bottle” in the national interest, unlike our Let-Me-Call-You-Sweetheart Judicial and Bar Council and Supreme Court.
—RENE A.V. SAGUISAG,
ravslaw@gmail.com