De Castro urges executive, legislative branches not to interfere in SC affairs

September 3, 2018

Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro on Monday appealed to the executive and legislative branch of government not to interfere in the judiciary.

In a speech during her first flag-raising ceremony as chief justice, De Castro said the SC must be left to decide for itself.

"The other members of the co-equal and independent branches of the government should understand that based on our constitutional order, the decisions reached by the justices of the Supreme Court, whether unanimously or by majority vote, must be respected," De Castro told SC justices, officials and employees.

She said it is the high court, "more than anyone else," that would be affected by a wrong decision because it would affect its integrity.

SC Public Information Office (PIO) head and spokesman Theodore Te said he submitted his courtesy resignation to de Castro.

“May I also, by these presents, respectfully tender my irrevocable resignation as Assistant Court Administrator and Chief of the Public Information Office, a post which is highly confidential and coterminous with the Chief Justice. I believe that Your Honor should be given a free hand to craft your own media policies and to appoint a person whom Your Honor believes could best implement those policies,” Te said, in his resignation letter that dated August 29.

De Castro, who designated Ma. Gleoresty Guerra, SC PIO deputy, as  acting head of the office. DMS