This refers to Marc A. L. Leviste’s letter titled “Justice system’s problem right under Sereno’s nose” (Opinion, 11/14/14). Leviste alludes to a so-called “chaotic state of…jurisprudence” because of supposedly conflicting opinions and decisions rendered by the Supreme Court. He ended his letter with the gratuitous and unwarranted snide reference to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.
We welcome Leviste’s opinion though we do not agree with it. He does the public a great disservice by being long on rhetoric and polemic but short on specifics.
Leviste does not cite any specific instance to support his drool and inaccurate depiction of the state of jurisprudence. If he is himself personally aware of cases where the Court’s three divisions have rendered rulings that conflict with each other, then he should cite them so that the Court may look into this, if true. He may e-mail the Court directly through the Public Information Office at pio_questions@sc.judiciary.gov.ph and it will be referred to the Court en banc for appropriate action, if needed.
Leviste may be interested to know that the Supreme Court has been very careful in the promulgation of its decisions. Each and every decision to be promulgated is read to ensure that it does not conflict with other decisions. It is part of the jurisprudence stabilization thrust that the Court, under the Chief Justice, has embarked on.
The best way to help is not to add to the noise and heat but to bring in nuance and light; a letter to the editor that is short on specifics but long on polemics does not contribute to solutions, it adds to the problems.—THEODORE O. TE, assistant court administrator and chief public information officer, Supreme Court of the Philippines