SC hailed on pork ruling, but asked to explain previous decisions

We the Filipino people are grateful to the Supreme Court for slaying the pork barrel system which allowed us to be robbed of billions of pesos in a span of one year. For the record and for posterity to remember, we hail Justice Estela Bernabe who wrote the decision and the justices who unanimously voted for it: Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Antonio Carpio, Teresita de Castro, Arturo Brion, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano Del Castillo, Roberto Abad, Martin Villarama, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza, Bienvenido Reyes and Marvic Leonen. Presbitero Velasco inhibited himself.

At the same time, I wonder why only a year ago, on Apr. 24, 2012, in LAMP v Secretary of Budget, the same justices voted unanimously to uphold the constitutionality of the pork barrel. For the record, Justice Jose Mendoza wrote that decision which was concurred in unanimously by then-Chief Justice Renato Corona, and Justices Carpio, Velasco, De Castro, Brion, Peralta, Bersamin, Del Castillo, Abad, Villarama, Perez, Sereno, Reyes and Bernabe. What made them flip their votes? Was it public opinion? Was it the rage of our people? They should explain or otherwise apologize.

For the record also, the Supreme Court on Aug. 19, 1994, in Philconsa v Enriquez, declared the pork barrel constitutional. The decision was written by Justice Camilo Quiason, concurred in unanimously by then-Chief Justice Andres Narvasa and Justices Florentino Feliciano, Teodoro Padilla, Abdulwahid Bidin, Florenz Regalado, Hilario Davide, Flerida Romero, Josue Bellosillo, Jose Melo, Reynato Puno, Jose Vitug, Santiago Kapunan and Vicente Mendoza. All of them are no longer with the Court. So, we can no longer ask them to explain.

—RANDY PERALTA,

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