Aquino lashes at Supreme Court, in front of chief judge

Manila: President Benigno Aquino confronted and criticised several decisions taken by the Supreme Court in an event which was attended by Chief Justice Renato Corona.

"The Supreme Court gave rules [on the temporary restraining order issued against the justice department's watch list order on former president Gloria Arroyo and her husband Jose Migue], but [later] said it need not be followed," said Aquino.

"Who will not doubt the real plan of the Supreme Court?" asked Aquino, adding that the Apex Court had made other rulings that were "hard to understand".

Reacting to the Supreme Court's decision in early 2010, not to allow the executive level to create a Truth Commission to investigate alleged misdemeanours in the administration of his predecessor, former president Gloria Arroyo, Aquino said, "At the [new government's] first step, there was a barricade [created by the Apex Court]."

He also criticised Arroyo for appointing Corona, an ally, to the Supreme Court before she left office in June 2010.

Auino's criticisms were planned prior to his attendance at the first National Criminal Justice Summit at the Manila Hotel on Monday.

"To those who fought with us for the narrow and straight path, as long as we are right, we will not turn our back from the fight," said Aquino, reiterating an old campaign promise he made in 2010.

He did not touch on the Supreme Court's recent ruling that upheld the position taken by former president Arroyo as head of the Presidential Agrarian Reform Court (PARC) in 2005, that the 4,000 hectare Hacienda Luisita (sugar plantation) owned by the mother side of Aquino's family, should be given to some 6,000 registered sugar planters.

Before leaving, Aquino shook Corona's hands.

"It was nothing personal" against the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice, explained presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Critics have noted Aquino's confrontational attitude towards and continuous brash treatment of the Supreme Court.

"It's very bad. It could lead to a Constitutional crisis," a former Supreme Court associate justice told Gulf News.