Judges of the Regional Trial Courts in Negros Oriental and the Municipal Trial Court in Dumaguete City have issued a statement calling for the independence, propriety and neutrality of the Judiciary.
The statement, issued March 15, by 12 RTC Judges and two MCTC Judges, joined the snowballing appeals for calm within the Judiciary that are sprouting in many provinces across the country.
Citing Canon 4 Section 6 of the New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary, the statement said that Judges, like any other citizen, are entitled to freedom of expression, belief, association and assembly, but in exercising such rights, they should always conduct themselves in such manner as to preserve the dignity of the judicial office and the impartiality and independence of the judiciary.
“We believe that in order to preserve the dignity of the judicial office and the impartiality and independence of the judiciary, we must remain neutral and let legal processes take the proper course,” the statement said.
The appeals for neutrality issued by Judges across the country rebuffed the position of the Philippine Judges Association calling for the resignation of the Chief Justice.
The PJA statement was signed by only 20 officers without consulting the association’s 1,200 members.
The Negros Oriental Judges’ statement came one day after the RTC and MCTC Judges in Negros Occidental issued a similar appeal.
The statement of the Negros Occidental Judges explained that “this serious matter was not exhaustively discussed with us, neither was it debated upon among us, some 1,200 RTC judges nationwide.”
The statement branded as “premature” the call of the PJA’s leadership in calling for the Chief Justice’s resignation.
“We do not wish to be part of the issues besetting the Supreme Court and its personnel as our priority is to keep the courts open and to serve our people. We are not politicians. We do not have the luxury of publicly expressing our sentiments, unless prompted by the situation. But we are living in uncertain times, and today, we make an exception.” (MP)
