President Aquino is about to complete his first three years in office (one-half of his term of office) by the end of May next year. However, I regret to say that up to the present he has not displayed enough guts to properly lead his people. On the contrary, he failed as a leader to show sincerity in most of his actuations.
Take, for instance, the impeachment case against Chief Justice Renato Corona. Obviously, Malacañang used all the powers of the presidency when 188 congressman approved in record time the resolution to impeach Corona. Only the naïve would not believe that the move to remove Corona was principally Malacañang-inspired. At first, there were some doubts about the motive, but later events affirmed what many people believed.
Definitely, President Aquino disregarded the rule of seniority in the Supreme Court, bypassing all incumbent justices of the Supreme Court, particularly the three most senior justices, by appointing Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice. I am sure the entire judiciary was dismayed.
It is hoped that we can still recover from this big blow.
—ARTURO M. TOPACIO JR.,
Topacio Law Office,
Corner Lopez Jaena and
Dra. Salamanca Streets,
San Roque, Cavite City