Exclude CJs from poll surveys

For Duterte to accuse Romualdez as being behind it all against his daughter is not only irrelevant and illogical, but a statement of no consequence

My favorite and good friend Artemio Panganiban, retired Supreme Court Justice, came out recently with a very thoughtful analysis on why Chief Justices should be excluded from poll surveys where CJs are almost always the last to be mentioned in the list of high public officials.

First and foremost, Chief Justices and associate justices are not elective So that approval and trust ratings should not be the concern and poll surveyors who should not include them in surveys.

The Constitutional requirements of members of the High Court are very clear.

Their three basic qualifications are: natural-born citizenship, minimum age, and ability to read and write.

Justices and judges are Constitutionally required five more qualities: proven competence, integrity , probity, and independence and must be a member of the Philippine Bar, unlike elective officials whose only qualifications must be: natural-born citizen, of minimum age, and ability to read and write.

Santa Banana, the Constitution does not discriminate the unschooled, the dishonest, school drop-outs, even the sycophants and criminals from running for public office.

Unfortunately, some of the public officials we have belong to the list.

That is something in the Constitution that must be corrected since elective officials more often than not are involved in issues of national interest and national security.

What I find very interesting in Art’s column are his observations that CJs and associate justices should avoid the vagaries on public opinion, especially that of the mob, and do not go through campaign for elections, which often make public officials captive of local politics, even of relatives, husbands and wives, school chums and relatives.

On the other hand, Chief Justices and associate justices rely merely on their conscience and the rule of law.

Ironically, the Supreme Court has become the last bastion of democracy and what they rule on in their decisions are not appealable.

They are often called the “gods of Padre Faura” because what they decide is the law whether