Panelo also cited Peralta for his prolific criminal decisions having convicted the most number of accused involved in big time drug cases and other serious crimes. #DiosdadoPeralta #chiefjustice

SC Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta. (SC)

Malacañang and lawmakers cited new Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta’s landmark rulings and qualification in expressing confidence with the latter’s capability in leading the Supreme Court (SC).

“We are certain that with Chief Justice Peralta at the helm of the Supreme Court, the Judiciary will continue to be well-managed as it thrives to uphold the principles of judicial excellence, integrity and independence,” said Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo said on Wednesday.

Panelo said Peralta has served the judiciary for more than three decades in various capacities: as a trial court judge, associate justice and presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan, and associate justice of the High Court.

“He made many landmark decisions that reverberate to this time, which include the imposition of the death penalty on a policeman who used his service firearm to shoot an 11-year-old boy while flying his kite on a rooftop in People vs. Fallorina; the first conviction for plunder involving a cashier of the Bureau of Internal Revenue in People vs. Manalili; the first and only conviction of Qualified Bribery under Article 211-A of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, involving a substantial number of police officers in the case of suspected foreign drug-traffickers,” according to Panelo.

Panelo also cited Peralta for his prolific criminal decisions having convicted the most number of accused involved in big time drug cases and other serious crimes.

“The Supreme Court, during the Court’s Centennial Celebration, and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines conferred the Special Centennial Awards in the Field of Criminal Law to Justice Peralta for his ‘credible and no-nonsense management and expeditious disposal of heinous crimes and drug cases… [which have] visibly strengthened the Philippine Criminal Justice System and helped bolster and maintain respect, trust and confidence in our criminal courts,'” he said.

Sen. Richard Gordon said Peralta’s tremendous experience as a judge of the regional trial court, justice of the Court of Appeals and then the SC make him more than qualified and the most senior to occupy the post of Chief Justice.

“He can continue to stabilize and provide harmony started by CJ Bersamin. He can and must provide independent judgement by the Supreme Court on all issues of the day. He has been visiting all courts throughout the archipelago observing, listening and guiding judges. He will not have a short term as he will have three more years before retirement,” said Gordon.

“I’m confident the people will be afforded quicker decisions in his term. Let us wish and pray for his success and that of the Supreme Court,” he added.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said Peralta’s appointment will highlight the intellectual leadership in the SC. He will champion good governance and serve as a beacon of light in maintaining the pristine supremacy of the Constitution,” said Romualdez.

“His loyalty to the Constitution will guide the nation’s leaders and the people in their quest for a better justice system,” added the Leyte congressman.

Meanwhile, AKO Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. said he expects Peralta to institute reforms in the administration of justice given the over two years he will lead the judiciary.

Garbin also said Peralta, who will serve until March 2022, should ensure an independent Judiciary from the lowest court to the SC.

“We need judges who cannot be bought or cave in under pressure or blackmail,” he said. “The many vacant position in the courts should be filled with an aggressive recruitment campaign to attract the best people who want to make a difference.”

Garbin added, “The country needs more courts and much better ways to reduce case backlogs throughout the judicial system. Filipinos deserve a court system that makes full use of modern technologies and has more people out in the field to dispose of pending cases which cause congestion in our jails.” Francis Wakefield, Hananeel Bordey, Keith Calayag