Villanueva: SC should play passive role on economic issues

MANILA, Philippines – Former Ateneo Law Dean Cesar Villanueva faced the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) on Thursday, July 26, and said the Supreme Court needs to be more focused in its work and not “overburden” itself with cases.

A nominee for chief justice, Villanueva said the Supreme Court should concentrate on important constitutional cases and leave other matters to the lower courts.

“On economic policies, the Supreme Court must take a passive role,” Villanueva stressed, adding that justices should acknowledge that economic issues are primarily the jurisdiction of the executive and legislative branches of government.

It will not be wise for the Supreme Court to be imposing its own “economic theory” on existing government policies, he said.

Villanueva also said that if appointed chief justice, he will impose a zero-tolerance policy on corruption and coordinate with government agencies for the conduct of a lifestyle check on justices and judges.

Villanueva said this has to be done because the public “realizes that corruption in the judiciary is so bad.”

Villanueva was the last nominee to be interviewed by the JBC on Thursday. The council resumes its next and final public interviews of nominees on Friday, July 27. – Rappler.com

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