Chief justice faces challenges

The Supreme Court may have a new member but his appointment also unmasks the problems at the Tribunal. Already at odds with President Benigno Aquino III over the high court’s decision to declare unconstitutional specific acts under a special government spending program, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno suffered a double setback in a span of less than 24 hours. Her own colleagues in the tribunal rebuffed her when they decided to include Solicitor-General Francis Jardeleza, whose nomination she had opposed, in the short list submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council to the President. The President delivered the second blow when he appointed Jardeleza the following day. Sereno was appointed Chief Justice by Aquino in 2012 – the first female and the youngest justice to be named to the position. 

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