Retiring SC Justice Brion to be part of body reviewing Charter?

Rappler.com

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Brion had previously indicated he was for charter change, saying it should be done through a Constitutional Convention, where delegates are elected

Will he accept or not? We heard through the grapevine that Associate Justice Arturo Brion who retires in a little over two weeks – on December 29 – is among those being considered for the consultative committee on constitutional amendments that will review the 1987 Constitution.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order No. 10, on Wednesday, December 7, giving the body 6 months to complete its work.

Brion’s name is on the list, we heard. His credentials include:

  • law degree from Ateneo de Manila University, valedictorian, cum laude in 1974
  • bar topnotcher in 1974 with an average of 91.65%
  • Masters of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University in Toronto, Canada 

Malacañang was said to be eyeing former chief justice Reynato Puno to chair the consultative committee but he reportedly declined. Earlier this year, Puno expressed his approval for a shift to a federal system of government, among the campaign promises of Rodrigo Duterte when he ran for president. Puno said he believes that federalism will reallocate power among leaders.

But back to Brion. We checked his voting record on key issues brought to the Supreme Court. Among others, he:

  • concurred in the SC decision rejecting petitions to stop a Marcos burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani
  • concurred in the decision to dismiss the plunder case against former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
  • concurred in the decision to allow Senator Juan Ponce Enrile to post bail
  • concurred with the decision to dismiss the disqualification case against former president Joseph Estrada in the 2013 mayoral elections in Manila
  • dissented in the decision to junk former senator Jinggoy Estrada’s plea to dismiss plunder and graft charges against him in connection with the pork barrel scam

He also stood by the impeached former chief justice Renato Corona, a friend of over 4 decades.

First interviewed for the SC post in 2010, Brion had previously indicated he was for charter change, saying it should be done through a Constitutional Convention, where delegates are elected. 

After his retirement on December 29, will the new job offer be attractive enough for him? We’ll know when Malacañang announces who the 25 members of the consultative body will be. Chay F. Hofileña/Rappler.com

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